Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn
by Phantom 1
Summary: A completely original Gundam series that takes place in the far future of the original MSG. NOW REVISED!
1. A Visit to Scatterhaven

Gundam and all related people/places/events/things are copyright Bandai.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
Year: UC 295  
Place: Underground facility code-named: "Tokyo Underground"  
  
----------------------  
  
Michael Harmond liked to listen to loud music when he worked. But he was so good at what he did that his superiors  
didn't force him to remove the headphones from his ears. Even through a random loud group long-since forgotten,  
Michael could still hear orders given to him. Since today was a special day, he turned the volume down.  
  
"Michael, give me a status report," his superior ordered.  
  
"We're all set here, sir." Michael gave him a thumbs up.  
  
"Good, suit up, we'll initiate the fusion within the hour."  
  
Michael groaned. He hated wearing the special pressurized suits. The oxygen that was emitted from his tank had the  
smell of seaweed that made him natious. But it was top priority that he wore it. He didn't want to be affected the  
same way other have.  
  
The Boss (Michael's nickname for him) zipped up his own pressurized suit). "Prepare for final checklist. This is it,  
people. If everything goes smoothly, it'll go down in... oh wait, no it won't, because nobody will know about it."  
Michael and the others laughed at The Boss's joke. "All right, begin final check list. Michael!"  
  
"Exhalation vents connection going smoothly."  
  
"Susie!"  
  
"Mutation rate proceeding at 5.8% ipm, no big affect."  
  
"Yumi!"  
  
"All forces and allies have been evacuated."  
  
"Argo!"  
  
"Global-wide jamming signal in place. Cut-off from the Colonies successful."  
  
"Stephen, give me a personnell report."  
  
"Andrew's reporting faulty tube in his suit. He has been put into suspended animation."  
  
"Michael, what about our clean-up crew."  
  
"They're ready to destroy all evidence."  
  
"Speaking of destroying evidence..."  
  
"Self-destruct set for twenty minutes after final release."  
  
"Good." The boss held something in his hand. "Don't worry, Doctor Asif, your research is being put to good use.  
All right, this is it! Release on my mark... mark!" High above the facility, a strange mist emitted from smoke  
stacks. This mist was no different from normal fog.  
  
The same thing was happening all over the world, a fog defying all weather patterns seemed to cover every square inch  
of the planet, yet nobody noticed. They also didn't notice a few changes like a memorial for the heroes of the One-Year  
War suddenly disappear and a park appearing in its place. The Grand Canyon was a graveyard for Mobile Suits, but now it  
had returned to its original state. In just one night and day, the world changed.  
  
And nobody noticed.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
5 years later  
UC 300.  
  
[Title: A Visit to Scatterhaven.]  
  
The calendar of the Universal Century has reached the year 300. The Earth has fallen into a state of disarray due to a  
war against an organization of countries who are seeking total world domination. Even though the Earth Federation has  
numbers on their side, they are being overwhelmed by the battle-hardened soldiers of the Alliance of Middle-Eastern  
Countries. This is because they had one advantage: strange humanoid machines that could devastate entire platoons  
with a single strafe. To make matters worse, the Colonies have severed all diplomatic and economic ties.  
Now, one ship will reawaken an ancient power that will turn the tides in this Century Dawn War.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
War had not been going well for the Earth Federation. Despite their combined forces, the terrorists who command most  
of the Middle East and Northern Africa areas have been holding them at bay and even pushing them back.  
  
Of the battles of the Century's War, the Earth Federation had lost over 58% of them.  
  
The Exalon was the flagship of the Earth Federation. It was designed to hold battles from all sides, but even it was  
beginning to wear down, as was its crew.  
  
On the bridge, Commander Noah Lucas leaned back in his command chair. They have arrived at the EF Base in New Sydney   
to resupply. But right now, resupplying was the furthest from his mind.  
  
"Sir," called Lieutenant Muro Okawa, the helmswoman. "We're locked down."  
  
"Good. Let me tell you something, Muro, this is getting old very fast."  
  
"Resupplying, sir?" Muro asked casting a side glance. Even though the man was 44, the tide of war was taking its toll  
on him, making him look almost twice his actual age. Muro couldn't blame him.  
  
Noah chuckled. "No, I mean this war. Ever since the Terrorists found those... what are they called again?"  
  
"Zakus I think," Muro filled in although she wasn't exactly sure on the name. The only time they have heard of them   
was from intel reports and even those were sketchy to say the most.  
  
"Whatever those things are called, the DD have been using them and have been butchering ourforces. I hate to say it,   
Muro, but I fear Earth is doomed."  
  
"Hey, that's not the Noah Lucas that I know."  
  
"Sorry, 'Ro, it's..."  
  
"I know, it's affecting me too." Noah smiled. The two had been serving together for so long it was like they could  
read each other's thoughts.  
  
"Commander Lucas," one of the officers called from the upper observation deck. "Captain Richards on comm."  
  
"All right, let's see what that desk jockey wants."  
  
"Nice to see you too." The small monitor in front of the bridge showed a man who could've been Noah's younger brother.  
"I see life on that luxury liner hasn't dulled your sense of humor."The "luxury liner" was actually a Pegasus-class   
ship.  
  
"Reed, not that I'm glad to see your face, but is this a social call?"  
  
"Getting down to business as always, George." 'George' and 'Reed' were nicknames that the two called each other.   
Richards' actual name was Stephen. The two just loved to insult each other but they were actually good friends.  
"Just need to know how long your ship will need resupplying."  
  
"Twenty minutes," Muro whispered.  
  
"Twenty minutes," Noah relayed. "Why, eager to see us off?"  
  
"Don't take it personal, but intel's gotten whispers that an AMEC squadron is on this way. We're generating MPs   
but I don't think it will make much difference if they see us. Imagine if they find the flagship of the fleet here."  
  
"It would be a tempting target," Noah grumbled. "All right, as soon as we're refilled, we'll get out of here.  
Got any other requests? Want me to pick up take-out while we're in the area."  
  
Richards laughed. "I wouldn't mind, but I'm sure cook would."  
  
"Anything for you, Reed, I'll tell the crew not to wander far."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Not too far from the EF base was an area that has yet to feel the full effects of the Century War. And two children who  
don't realize that destiny has something horrible and wonderful planned for them. Those children were Koshiro Anaka  
and Paiyako Mushimi, both age 15.  
  
"Hurry up, Koshiro," Paiyako called. "We're going to be late again."  
  
"Hey, give me a break, Pai," Koshiro replied. "We're not all as fast as you."  
  
"You're just lazy," Paiyako accused but her smile could tell that she was just joking with him. Koshiro and Paiyako had  
been friends for years. They practically grew up side by side. Paiyako, or Pai, as people who are close to her   
have been known to call her, has had a secret crush on Koshiro since she could first discovered romance. But because of  
her shyness, she could never tell him the truth.  
  
To tell the truth, Koshiro always found her rather attractive as well. Paiyako was rather small for her age with a lithe  
frame and short dark blue hair and eyes. Her voice had a soft tone and her attitude was carefree.  
  
As for Koshiro, he was tall with light brown spikes of hair and green eyes. His shoulders were broad and stern.  
Right now, they were both dressed in school uniforms.  
  
"Hey Pai," Koshiro called as he caught up to her. "I was wondering, my birthday's coming up in a few weeks, you want to  
head over to Harmonford to celebrate?"  
  
"Sounds fun," Pai replied swinging her bookbag over her shoulder. "We could make a day of it."  
  
"Yeah, we could even skip school or something."  
  
Pai smiled at him impishly. "Doesn't your birthday fall on a Saturday this year?"  
  
Koshiro blushed. "Oh yeah, I forgot."  
  
Suddenly a small tremor shook the ground. The two fell to the ground. Another tremor happened, then a third, then a  
fourth.  
  
"What's going on?" Paiyako asked.  
  
"I don't know," Koshiro replied. "But there's no way that can be natural."  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"They're too even, too spaced out, it's almost like..." The three turned to see a huge metallic object step into view.  
It was humanoid looking but bulky, like a diving suit. A jet pack was attached to the back and connected just below  
the head region with a respirator-like device. A bulky plate, apparently some sort of shield, was attached to the left   
bicep. It carried a large gataling rifle in its right hand. On the head was a singlular glowing circle, a cycloptic  
-like eye. There were two more behind the first one.  
  
"What are those things?" Paiyako asked frightened.  
  
"I... don't know. They look like some sort of giant robots!"  
  
A piece of the chest opened up and the hand of the Mobile Suit was laid palm up against it. A man in green combat fatigues  
popped out. He raised the tinted viser on his helmet. The face behind it was very dark and very struck.  
  
"Hey, you kids," the man called. "You know where we are?"  
  
"Yes, sir, this is Scatterhaven," Paiyako replied.  
  
"You wouldn't by any chance have seen anything strange around here, would you?" The hatch on another robot opened   
and a second person got out, this one a woman.  
  
"You mean besides three giant robots walking in the middle of town?" Koshiro quipped. "No."  
  
The leader laughed. "Yeah, I guess it does seem a little strange. Look, we're just looking for something that looks  
like a base. Have you seen anything like that?"  
  
Paiyako was about to reply when Koshiro interrupted, "Yeah, check about fifty miles to the West, I saw something weird  
out there yesterday." As of right now, they were neutral but he wanted them far away to avoid any battles  
  
"Thanks," the man, who was apparently their leader said as he disappeared back inside the seat. The hatches closed up  
and the Mobile Suits began to turn around.  
  
"Koshiro, why did you lie to them? There's nothing out in that direction."  
  
"We lived without taking any part in the war for this long, Paiyako. I just want to keep the war as far away from this  
town as possible." Paiyako smiled and patted his cheek. That was one thing about Koshiro that she liked, his compassion.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
A few miles from Scatterhaven was a secret facility. The AMEC Army had set up a base here. It was only an intel  
gathering facility, not much military. Right now, they were investigating the surrounding area for an EF base.  
  
"Sir," an officer called from the makeshift control room. "One of our search parties is going off course."  
  
"Open up communication," the Sergeant at Arms ordered.  
  
"No can do, MPs are too high," an operator ordered.  
  
"Then use laser code. Use code 1497."  
  
"Aye, sir."  
  
The Zaku patrol was about five miles outside of Scatterhaven when the female pilot just happened to take a look behind her.  
  
"Rashad," the female pilot called to her leader. "Look, it's a laser code! Looks like 1497 Base is trying to talk to us."  
The three Zakus saw the single beam of light flashing in a specific sequence.  
  
"What's it saying?" Naram, the other pilot asked.  
  
"We're going the wrong way," Rashad translated. "Those kids lied to us. I bet that town we were just in was the base."  
  
"If it is, then we must attack it immediately," Mileena, the female pilot declared.  
  
"Agreed. Attack formation."  
  
The Exalon noticed the same thing.  
  
"Sir," one of the operators said. "Visual sensors are detecting a laser pulse."  
  
"Is it one of ours?" Noah asked.  
  
"No, sir, doesn't match any code we have in our database."  
  
"Damn it, it's AMEC. Muro, disconnect us. All systems on independent function. Prepare to move out. We have to keep  
them away from our refueling station."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Unaware of the chaos about to unfold, Koshiro and Paiyako continued on their way to school. Suddenly Koshiro started to  
feel queesy. He stopped and leaned his hand against the fence.  
  
"Koshiro, are you all right?" Paiyako asked leaning a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I'm fine, Paiyako. Just a little dizzy."  
  
"Here, lean on me," Paiyako offered.  
  
"It's okay, Pai, I'm fine." But that wasn't the truth. Whenever Koshiro started to get nautious like that, it usually  
forshadowed something bad. And the intensity of the nautiousness increased depending on the severity of the danger.  
It was like a sixth sense. But he never had anything this bad before. Something catastrophic was about to happen.  
  
"No you're not, you look like you're ready to collapse. Here, I better take you..." Explosions raked the ground  
around them. They looked up to see the three Zakus appear with weapons blazing.  
  
"It's those robots we saw earlier," Paiyako realized. "What are they doing here?"  
  
"I don't want to stand around to find out." The two ran away but the Zakus kept chasing them.  
  
"You think they have something against us, do you?" Koshiro asked sarcastically.  
  
"Could have something to do with the fact that you lied to them. But that's just my opinion," Paiyako replied with equal  
sarcasm.  
  
One of the Zakus took aim with its machine gun and opened fire. Koshiro pulled Paiyako to the side as the bullets  
straifed by them. The two got to their feet and ran down the street.  
  
"Where are we going?" Paiyako asked.  
  
"Out of town. Don't want to get anybody hurt."  
  
"You're so considerate, Koshiro."  
  
"Compliment me later, Pai." Bullets straifed their heads again. "Maybe when bullets aren't flying over our heads."  
  
Suddenly something else flew over their heads. The Exalon. The ship opened fire with the cannons along its outer rim.  
  
"Commander," Muro called. "There are a couple of children standing between us and the Zakus."  
  
Commander Lucas picked up the phone that served as his intercom. "Gunners, target the Zakus but be careful, there are  
civilians in the area."  
  
The blasts of the Exalon struck one of the Mobile Suits. It fell to the ground before exploding. Koshiro covered Paiyako  
with his body from the rubble.  
  
"They got Naram!" Mileena cried. She took out her heat hawk and leaped up, firing her booster jets in the process.  
She scored a direct hit, slicing apart a cannon. Rashad fired his machine gun but the bullets just bounced off the  
ship's armor.  
  
"Mileena, we must retreat," Rashad called out.  
  
"But Naram..." Mileena began.  
  
"We'll avenge him," Rashad assured her. "But we can't do that when we're dead." The optic on Rashad's Zaku panned left to  
Koshiro and Paiyako. The two Zakus then turned and fled.  
  
"Commander, shall we follow them?" Muro asked.  
  
"Do it." The Exalon maneuvered and went after the Zakus.  
  
"That was scary," Paiyako commented.  
  
"Yeah," Koshiro agreed. "But something tells me this isn't over."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Zakus return in full force. The Exalon struggles valiantly against their opposition.Koshiro and Paiyako are driven  
away by the battle and Koshiro faces a battle between life and death.   
  
Next episode: Koshiro's Folly.  
  
The battle has just begun. 


	2. Koshiro's Folly

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
The calendar of the Universal Century has reached the year 300. The Earth has fallen into a state of disarray due to a  
war against an organization of countries who are seeking total world domination. Even though the Earth Federation has  
numbers on their side, they are being overwhelmed by the battle-hardened soldiers of the Alliance of Middle-Eastern  
Countries. This is because they had one advantage: strange humanoid machines that could devastate entire platoons  
with a single strafe. To make matters worse, the Colonies have severed all diplomatic and economic ties.  
  
Now, one ship will reawaken an ancient power that will turn the tides in this Century Dawn War.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro Anaka and Paiyako Mushimi are children from the small town of Scatterhaven. One day, they were visited by Zakus,  
large humanoid robots piloted by an AMEC patrol group. Koshiro sent them away with false directions to an Earth  
Federation base. But the Zakus returned and attacked Koshiro and Paiyako. Luckily, they were rescued by the EF  
flagship Exalon. The Zakus were sent away but for how long?  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro and Paiyako sat against a fence. The EF ship they saw had just drove back the robots that attacked them.  
They were both panting from running away.  
  
"Good thing that Earth Federation ship was in the area, otherwise we would've been dead, huh, Koshiro?"  
  
Koshiro was silent next to her. She turned and saw him panting more than she was. Did that attack really tire him out?  
But as Paiyako looked closely, she realized that he was trembling. His eyes had a haunted and scared look to them.  
  
"Koshiro? Koshiro!" Paiyako shook him. "Koshiro, talk to me."  
  
Finally, Koshiro shook himself out of his trance and looked at her. "I'm sorry, Pai. I just... froze for a moment."  
  
"I know, Koshiro. That was a scary event."  
  
"Not only that," Koshiro replied. "But... will they come back?"  
  
"They? You mean those giant robots?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I hope not, Koshiro, I hope not."  
  
But deep down, Koshiro knew that they would be back. He didn't know how he knew, but he did.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Paiyako's hopes were in vain, for at the AMEC base, the two Zakus that managed to escape the onslaught of the Exalon were  
reporting in.  
  
"Are you positive it was an EF ship?" The Base Commander asked. "I don't want to make a mistake that would cost us  
the support of the colonies."  
  
"Most definitely," Rashad replied. "It had markings and everything. And from the looks of it,it looked like a   
Pegasus-class."  
  
The Base Commander let out a whistle. "A Pegasus-class, now I haven't seen one of those in a long time."  
  
"Yes sir, I'm sorry to say they sent us running."  
  
"Don't be ashamed, Rashad, hardly anything can stand up to a Pegasus-class."  
  
Beside and a little behind Rashad, Mileena struggled to hold her tears in. "They got Naram...those blasted Feddies killed  
Naram! He didn't care for battle, yet they killed him, in cold blood! I swear I will not rest until every last person  
on that Feddy ship is gouged and hanging by a pike!"  
  
Rashad put a hand on Mileena's shoulder. "I know how much Naram meant to you, Mileena. We will avenge his death, but  
going in there with guns blazing isn't the answer."  
  
"Actually," the Base Commander said. "Going in with guns blazing might just be the answer." He lead Rashad and Mileena   
over to a table map that had been set up. A scale model of Scatterhaven was set up. "Let's assume that the town is  
just a front for a Federation base, or maybe the town is real and the base is underground. Whatever the reason, if we  
set our forces behind the hillsides around the town, we can wait until the Feddy ship lands there and then attack it. With  
all the firepower, the ship won't have time to take off, that's when we'll send two Zakus, that will be you two, in  
to take out it's starboard engine."  
  
"Sir, you can't destroy a Pegasus-class ship by destroying just one engine."  
  
"Yes, but if we can disable it enough, it'll be helpless before our ground forces, Rashad." The Base Commander looked at  
Rashad and Mileena. "If you two don't want to go through with this, I'll understand."  
  
"I am a soldier," Rashad recited. "Lead and I will follow."  
  
Mileena's was a bit more intimate. "If it's to avenge Naram, I will go into the pits of Hell and challenge the devil  
himself."  
  
"Don't let your feelings overcloud your judgement, Mileena," the Base Commander instructed. "You won't be able to avenge  
Naram's death if you're dead yourself."  
  
"Yes, sir," Mileena saluted although her sound appeared bitter.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Meanwhile, Commander Noah Lucas was having a bridge meeting. The Exalon was currently stationed at an empty riverbed,  
where the Menovski Particles were in dense concentration. Less of a chance to be discovered by the DD.  
  
Lucas looked around at his bridge crew. Helm officer Muro Okawa, Engineering Liaison Henry Kozuko, Weapons Chief Shinji  
Katzuhito, Operators Victor Lenard and Tasha Benson (referred together as "The Twins" due to their similarity in  
appearance), and Communication Officer and Field Commander Leeka Moshiro.  
  
Lucas' gaze lingered somewhat on Leeka, or Lee as she insists on being called. Lee joined the crew some two months   
before, and is still new to the ways of the Exalon, but she performed her jobs with dedication that was unexhibited by  
anybody else, including Lucas himself.  
  
"We traced the Zaku robots' route back to this location." Lucas used a laser pointer to highlight a spot on a video floor  
map of the area. "Our most obvious choice would be to send a Remote Camera Unit, or RCU, to investigate the area,  
however, because of our close proximity to AMEC territory, we can't risk it. Ladies, gentlemen, I need thoughts, ideas,  
comments, suggestions, anything you can throw out would be helpful."  
  
Not surprisingly, Lee was the first to speak up. "Sir, what about that town we passed by while we were chasing them?  
Perhaps it was some sort of cover for the... Zakus." Lee stuttered while saying the name. Lucas couldn't blame her.  
He himself hadn't really known the name until he checked with his contacts at EF Headquarters.  
  
"Ah, yes, the town." The video floor map zoomed in to the town. "Can anybody tell me anything about it." Of course,  
Lucas knew all about the town, also from EF Archives, but he liked to test his crew about knowledge other than what  
their assigned positions are.  
  
Victor stepped forward. "Scatterhaven, located in Quadrant Gregory-9210, population 483 not including the animals.  
A real private community, most of the residents have lived there all their lives."  
  
"The town really has no strategic value to either the Federation or AMEC," Tasha continued. "It doesn't make sense  
that they would take interest in it." The Twins shared a smile.  
  
"It is possible that AMEC was using the town as a stepping stone in attacking our fuel depot," Shinji said straightening  
his wire frame glasses.  
  
"But that would mean that they know where our depot is," Muro pointed out. "So why don't they attack?"  
  
"Perhaps they don't have enough firepower yet," Tasha pointed out.  
  
"Let's move away from that theory for a moment," Lucas said. "If anything, we need to be on the offensive..."  
  
"Excuse me, Commander Lucas," Henry called out. "But I'm in the dark here, what are these Zakus, I've never heard of  
them before now."  
  
"Looks like somebody didn't get the briefing material," Lee said eyeing him. Henry blushed and a few of the other  
crewmembers chuckled.  
  
"I understand, Henry," Commander Lucas smiled. The video floor map disappeared and a 3-D image of a Zaku, weapon and   
all, appeared in the center. "A Zaku is the main weapon of the AMEC terrorists. According to our spies, it is a type of  
weapon called a Mobile Suit." Sensing Henry's next question, Lucas continued. "A long time ago, Mobile Suits were used  
in abundance by the armies of the Colonies. They replaced conventional combat. The rumors about Mobile Suits include  
the fact that a Mobile Suit could withstand heavy bombardment and take out an entire platoon with a single strafe from its  
weapon. It is expected that it is what wiped the Colonies out."   
  
The other senior crew looked at him strangely. They had never heard of any of it. Where did these Zakus come from?  
And Where did Commander Lucas learn all this?  
  
"Obviously the Federation today couldn't stand up to such a weapon," Muro said. "So how did they... we... survive all  
these years?"  
  
"That answer... died out with the Colonies." Muro kept staring at her old friend/senior officer. There was something  
he wasn't telling them, she could tell. But he was her superior and if that information was on a need-to-know basis,  
then there wasn't anything they could do about it.  
  
"So nothing can stand up against a Mobile Suit?" Tasha asked.  
  
The Commander lowered his head. "That... is not entirely true. The prototype for this very ship was able to fend off  
wave after wave of enemy Zakus for over a year." He didn't want to reveal the true anti-Zaku weapon, not yet anyway.  
  
"I hate to interrupt this history lesson," Victor said, "But what are we going to do about the Zakus that attacked   
Scatterhaven?"  
  
"That brings us back to our beginning question, what were the Zakus doing attacking such a small town?" Lee asked.  
  
"Perhaps there's a clue to the reason in the town itself," Muro suggested. "Perhaps if we go to the town and ask around,  
we might be able to find something."  
  
"Of course we might also get the citizens there upset at the Federation and defect to AMEC," Henry argued.  
  
"We are not here to win a popularity contest," Lucas came back. "We are here to assess whether or not the AMEC forces  
in this area pose a threat to the Earth Federation. Commander Okawa, plot a course for Scatterhaven. Let's go, people!"  
The crew began to leave the briefing room. But Commander Lucas kept staring at the image of the Zaku.  
  
Muro noticed that the Captain was lagering. "Commander... Noah, is something wrong?"  
  
Lucas smiled, thankful of Muro's thoughtfulness to his well-being. "I will be there in a moment, 'Ro. Prepare the course."  
  
"Aye, sir." As Muro left, the image of the Zaku disappeared and the room was plunged into darkness.  
  
"So, after all these years, they're back. And this time, we don't have the Gundam to aid us,"Lucas said to himself. He  
pulled out a small notebook. "What do we do, Grandpa? When the only weapon that could turn the course of the war in  
our favor is nothing more than legends?" He replaced the notebook inside his jacket and left for the bridge.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro and Paiyako exited the school building. Because of the situation with the Zakus, school had been let out two  
hours early, therefore the two had the entire afternoon to do whatever they wanted. They decided to spend the  
afternoon in their favorite place, a forest grove outside of Scatterhaven.  
  
They would soon wish that school hadn't been let out.  
  
All around the village, Zakus were being set up. The DD had been using camuflage netting to avoid being detected by  
both the residents and the Exalon.  
  
Rashad and Mileena, along with the Base Commander, used some buinoculars to scout the area. Rashad tensed when he   
saw Koshiro and Paiyako, talking underneath a tree. "That's them! It's those kids who sent us in the wrong   
direction earlier."  
  
"Are they Federation spies?" Mileena asked. "They look so young."  
  
"No," the Commander replied. "Most likely they just wanted to protect their village. No reason to make an enemy of them  
yet."  
  
A soldier came up to them. "Commander, sir, our scouts are reporting something big heading this way."  
  
"Is it the Federation ship?"  
  
"They're unsure, sir, but possibility is good."  
  
"Don't move until we have confirmation that it IS the Federation ship."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
About ten minutes later, a loud hum filled the air. The AMEC forces looked up to see the Exalon cruise over at a low altitude.  
  
"That's it," Rashad identified.  
  
Mileena fumed. "They're the ones who killed Naram!" She ran to her Zaku.  
  
"Mileena, wait!" Rashad called back.  
  
"Stop it, that's an order!" The Commander threw in. But it was too late. Mileena was already powering up her Zaku.  
The Zaku took out its Heat Hawk axe and charged the Exalon.  
  
"Blast her," Rashad muttered. "I knew it was mistake bringing her on this mission."  
  
"Nothing we can do about it right now," the Commander said. He took out a flare gun and shot a beam of light into the air.  
All around the village, Zakus began popping up all over the place.  
  
Mileena's Zaku rushed forward. A cannon on the Exalon came out of its bay and fired. Mileena dodged to the left then  
dodged back. The cannon kept firing but Mileena kept dodging.  
  
"This is for you, Naram!" She cried. She swung her axe down, destroying the cannon.  
  
On the bridge, Shinji called out, "Cannon 14 has been destroyed."  
  
"Sensors are picking up Zakus all around us!" Tasha reported.  
  
"It was a trap," Lucas realized. "They must've known we would return and layed in waiting for us. Deploy all weapons! Do  
we have any Core Fighters?"  
  
"Sir, we have one but it's mostly designed for transporting," Lee informed.  
  
"Not good enough. Deploy all weapons!"  
  
The Exalon returned fire.  
  
"We have to take their attention away from Mileena," the Commander said as he and Rashad fired their Zaku's guns.  
  
Meanwhile, Koshiro and Paiyako were trying to hide behind a tree. It was unsuccessful as the tree didn't provide much  
cover for the two teenagers.  
  
"Koshiro, why are they attacking here?" Paiyako asked.  
  
"I don't know, but I don't want to find out, let's get out of here!" The two turned to leave when a stray shot from one of  
the Exalon's deployed cannons destroyed an entire city street. Another stray shot from a Zaku destroyed a building.  
Fire began engulfing the whole town. You could hear the screams easily.  
  
"NO!" Paiyako tried to run back into the town but Koshiro held her back.  
  
"Paiyako, don't go," he pleaded. "You'll be killed."  
  
"No! All my family, my friends!"  
  
Koshiro was behind her and he reached out and emcompassed her body in a bear hug. He laid his head on her shoulder.  
  
"I don't want you to die," he told her. "I lost too many people, I don't want to lose you too."  
  
Paiyako stiffened, but not because of his words, but rather because of the tear that fell from his eyes down his cheek  
and onto her sweater.  
  
Paiyako turned and faced him, a sad smile on her face. "Koshiro..."  
  
The moment was interrupted by heavy bombardment. Koshiro instinctively pulled Paiyako close. She allowed him.  
  
On the bridge of the Exalon, Commander Lucas grunted as the ship was hit with another barrage.  
  
"Sir, over 83% of our weapons have been destroyed," Shinji reported.  
  
"Looks like we have no choice. Muro, take off!"  
  
"But sir, what about the Zakus?" Lee asked.  
  
"He who turns and runs away lives to fight another day, Lee," Lucas recited.  
  
"Sir, there might be another way," Henry argued. "If we turn our engine on at full capacity, the jet fire let out by the  
engine might be enough to destroy them, or at least scatter them enabeling us to take off. What do we have to lose?"  
  
"At this point, nothing. Do it, Henry!"  
  
Outside, the engine began powering up. As predicted, the exhaust fire destroyed a couple of Zakus and caused the rest  
to scramble for cover.  
  
"Oh no you don't," Mileena cried. "You're not getting away this time!" Mileena fired her jets which thrust her up to  
the top of one of the launching bays. She was eye-to-eye with the bridge.  
  
"Close the blast shields!" Lucas commanded. All along the windows of the bridge, metal shields slid into place.  
"Muro, Tasha, Victor, switch to virtual guidance!" Lucas reached under his seat and took out a pair of sun glasses  
with a wire attached to them. When he put them on, he was treated to a view of the outside of the ship courtesy of  
special cameras. As Lucas turned his head, the camera turned too so it was almost as if he was outside the ship.  
  
"Helm, rotate ninety degrees starboard." As the ship turned, the exploding engine decimated some more Zakus.  
  
Mileena kept pounding at the blast screen. "Damn you, Feddies! DAMN YOU!"  
  
"Wow, you've got to admit, they're resilient," Victor commented.  
  
"How about a little encouragement for our side," Lee called out.  
  
Outside, Koshiro looked from Mileena's Zaku, to the Exalon, to the other Zakus. Something triggered in him, an   
understanding. Suddenly he knew what was going on, why Mileena was so diligently assaulting the Exalon, why the Exalon  
returned to Scatterhaven, why the Zakus were lying in ambush. It was like God showed everything to him.  
  
"Paiyako, I want you to run away from here."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Run away, please. The battle is going to escalate. The entire countryside is going to be destroyed. It's best if you  
run and don't look back."  
  
"But what about you?"  
  
"I'll be right behind you. Now go!"  
  
Paiyako quickly hugged Koshiro then took off. Koshiro smiled, seeing his friend heading towards the road that lead over  
the mountains. He turned to the Zaku. Picking up a rock, he threw it with all his might towards Mileena's Zaku.  
  
Incredibly, it made a dent in the armor. Mileena's cyclo-eye swirled to face Koshiro.  
  
"Over here, you giant tin can!" Koshiro called out waving his arms. "Come on, come and get me, you bucket of bolts!"  
  
Mileena's temper flared. "Nobody comes between me and my revenge!"  
  
Koshiro continued his taunting unaware that Mileena could hear him. "I've seen tricycles with better movement than that  
rust bucket! You might as well join the Federation because you sure aren't going to make a good enemy of them!"  
  
That was the last straw. Mileena leaped off of the Exalon and rushed towards Koshiro.  
  
"Mileena, get back here and attack the Pegasus-class," the Base Commander ordered.  
  
"I would never join the Federation, they are my sworn enemy!" Mileena took her machine gun and fired a stream of bullets.  
Koshiro rolled to the left. When Mileena swung her gun to take aim again, he dove right between the legs and doubled  
back towards the Exalon. It took Mileena a moment to realize the human was gone and turned around.  
  
{_Man, that pilot's slow_,} Koshiro thought. {_Or it takes longer for the robot to react than the pilot_.}  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon bridge crew (those with virtual guidance glasses anyway) saw this escapade.  
  
"Is that kid crazy?" Muro asked. "Taking on a Zaku like that."  
  
"Sometimes crazy works," Commander Lucas commented with a smile.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro thought his plan was coming together when one of the Zakus called out "Mileena!"  
  
"Don't you dare try to stop me!" Mileena shouted at it.  
  
"I don't want to," the Zaku came back. "But you might want to use this." The Zaku tossed Mileena's Zaku a small orb.  
"It makes more destruction."  
  
"Uh-oh, that doesn't look good," Koshiro muttered.  
  
Commander Lucas, if he could hear Koshiro, would agree with him. "A Particle Detonator! Lee, take our Transport Core  
Fighter and pick that kid up!"  
  
"But why?" Lee asked.  
  
"That kid got that Zaku off of us. I don't want his action to be in vain or not returned. Besides, we should show the  
civilian populace why we're different from the Desert Dictator army."  
  
Lee gave him a smile. "I thought you said we weren't here to win a popularity contest."  
  
"We're not, but scoring some browney points never hurt."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Paiyako ran until she was near the mountain. She dropped to her hands and knees, out of breath. She looked back.  
Scatterhaven was still in flames. The Exalon hovered near it. Zakus were pouring bullets into it like they were going  
out of style. It was beautiful in a horrible way.  
  
"Come on, Koshiro, where are you?" Paiyako strained her eyes and thought she could see Koshiro, or at least his shadow.  
Suddenly the robot that was chasing him tossed something in the direction of the Exalon. Suddenly the early afternoon  
sky lite up with fire. Paiyako covered her eyes.  
  
{_Oh my God, was Koshiro caught in that blast_?} she thought.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
A wall of fire came rushing at Koshiro. He quickly threw himself to the ground. To his surprise, the fire passed over him.  
  
"Hey, kid, get up," a voice called to him. He looked up to see a red and blue plane landing right next to him. The  
cockpit hatch opened and a figure wearing a flight helmet looked out at him. The outline of the figure suggested it  
was female, but any other features were obscured by the helmet. "Come on, get on. They'll be throwing another particle  
detonator soon and this time they won't miss."  
  
Koshiro saw the Zaku getting ready to throw another round sphere, probably the particle detonator the pilot was talking  
about. He really didn't want to get caught up in the war between the Earth Federation and the Zakus but at that moment,  
he realized he didn't have much of a choice. He climbed into the seat behind the pilot.  
  
"Core Fighter to Exalon," the pilot called out. "I have him, returning to the ship." Koshiro couldn't hear what the  
reply was, the communication link must've been inside her helmet. "Roger, understood, will contact you again in ten   
minutes." She began to power up the Core Fighter.  
  
Koshiro almost paniced when he discovered that they were angling in a direction away from the ship.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked. "The ship's back that way."  
  
"If we enter the ship while the Zakus are firing at it, they could seriously dammage it. We're going to split up and meet  
up with them in a few minutes, assuming the Zakus don't follow us." Koshiro accepted the pilot's explanation even though  
he didn't like it.  
  
But the Base Commander saw them leaving. "Mileena, you and half of Company A come with me. We're going after that plane."  
  
"No, I want the destruction of the Feddy ship!" Mileena cried.  
  
"Mileena, that's an order. Either come with me or I will shoot you right here and now and think nothing of it!"  
  
Mileena could see that there was no escape. "Yes, sir," she agreed bitterly.  
  
Wings popped out from the backpacks on several Zakus. They began lifting into the air.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Lee saw them coming from her rear viewer. "Oh fantastic, the Commander didn't tell me about this."  
  
Koshiro saw the same thing. "You mean those things can FLY too?!"  
  
"Believe me, I'm just as shocked as you are. Hang on." Lee hit the afterburners and the Core Fighter headed Northeast  
with the Zakus in hot pursuit.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Zakus force the Core Fighter down by a huge mountain. Once down, Koshiro and Lee take cover in a cave which they  
discover to be more than what it appears to be: an ancient facility. And what it stores will shock all.  
  
Next episode: The Facility.   
  
A cave that will change everything. 


	3. The Facility

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
The calendar of the Universal Century has reached the year 300. The Earth has fallen into a state of disarray due to a  
war against an organization of countries who are seeking total world domination. Even though the Earth Federation has  
numbers on their side, they are being overwhelmed by the battle-hardened soldiers of the Alliance of Middle-Eastern  
Countries. This is because they had one advantage: strange humanoid machines that could devastate entire platoons  
with a single strafe. To make matters worse, the Colonies have severed all diplomatic and economic ties.  
  
Now, one ship will reawaken an ancient power that will turn the tides in this Century Dawn War.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Zakus attacked the small town of Scatterhaven hoping to draw out the Exalon. Koshiro and Paiyako, two children, are   
forced to watch as the battle destroys their home town. Mileena, outraged over the death of Naram, turns on Koshiro.  
But Koshiro is saved by Lee in the Exalon's Core Fighter. The two take off but are pursued by half the Zakus.  
  
[Title: The Facility]  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Core Fighter groaned as Lee struggled to dodge another round of machine gun fire. In the back, Koshiro gripped the  
sides of his seat. Was this all a dream? Had Scatterhaven really been destroyed by the Federation and the Zakus?  
Why was he being aided by one of them? Was Paiyako all right? Questions like these ran circles around his mind.  
  
Lee grunted. She didn't expect such heavy retaliation from the AMEC's Zaku army and that was just for them.  
Imagine how hard it is for the Exalon.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon wasn't faring much better. The Zaku's fire had them forced on the ground.  
  
"People, if any of you have any ideas, I'd certainly like to hear them."  
  
"I do," Tasha called out. "A sonic disruption pulse. It should scramble their circuitry enough to disable them for a   
moment."  
  
"And while they're disoriented, we make a break for it," Victor concluded.  
  
"Great but how do we send it out?" Muro asked.  
  
"The communication system," Henry Kozuko shouted.  
  
"But what about the Minovsky Particles?" Muro pointed out.  
  
"We only need line of site for the pulse to work," Tasha told her.  
  
"Well I'm not too fond of such unorthodox maneuvers," Noah Lucas began. "But let's do it."  
  
"Cover your ears," Tasha warned as she activated it.  
  
Outside, a loud screach echoed through the valley of what was once Scatterhaven. The mono eyeson the Zakus fizzled and  
broke. Zakus began falling over.  
  
"Oh shoot," Rashad muttered just as the pulse fried his controls.  
  
"Take off," Lucas ordered. The Exalon rose into the sky and streeked off towards the northeast.  
  
"Looks like we lost them," Rashad muttered unaware that another ship was entering the area.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Lee banked away from a Zaku only to come face-to-cockpit with another.  
  
"Looks like we have no choice," Lee said. "Get ready to eject," she announced to Koshiro.  
  
"What?!" But Lee already hit the ejection button. The Core Fighter's hatch popped open and the two seats burst from the  
Core Fighter. A parachute popped open from the back of the seat as Koshiro and Lee held onto their seat belts. The two  
parachutes touched the ground and the Core Fighter itself slammed into the chest of Mileena's Zaku and exploded. However,  
all it did was cause the Zaku to fall on its butt  
  
Koshiro climbed out from underneath his parachute. "That was crazy!" He cried. He looked at the other parachute as the  
pilot poked her now helmet-less head and the rest of her out from under the parachute. Koshiro got a good look at the  
pilot. As he guessed, it was a female with shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes. Her face was rugged yet possessed  
a natural beauty to it.  
  
The hatch of the Zaku that the Core Fighter hit opened, and Mileena, minus her helmet, peeked out.  
  
"Hey, you're one of the pilots who stopped by Scatterhaven asking around for the Federation base," Koshiro accused   
getting a surprised reaction from Lee.  
  
Mileena pointed at them. "You were responsible for the death of Naram. You will pay." And then she disappeared back into  
her Zaku.  
  
"What did she mean by we were responsible for the death of Naram?" Lee asked.  
  
"You got me."  
  
"Well if we don't high-tail it, she'll get us." Koshiro and Lee ran towards the mountain, but Mileena was quicker,  
cutting them off.  
  
"Mileena, wait," the Base Commander said as he and the others landed. "We need them alive if we're going to find out  
the Earth Federation's plans are!"  
  
"Get it from somebody else, sir," Mileena snapped. "Someone will die today and it won't be me."  
  
Koshiro and Lee used the opportunity to run away. Suddenly Koshiro spotted a square-shaped cave entrance. He grabbed  
Lee's wrist and led her to the entrance.  
  
"Bad move," the Base Commander called out as he fired his machine gun. The bullets caused a cave in, trapping Lee and  
Koshiro in the cave. "There, Mileena. Naram has been avenged. They will die slow and painful deaths in that cave."  
Mileena didn't say anything. She wanted to be the one who avenges Naram's death. Oh well, at least their death will be  
slow, unlike Naram, who was given the luxury of a quick death.  
  
Inside the cave, Koshiro pushed with all his might in an attempt to free them but it was no use.  
  
"Save your strength," Lee said as she took out a pen flashlight and turned it on. "Just relax."  
  
Koshiro turned towards her. If the light was trained on him, Lee would've saw the face of a furious boy.  
  
"Relax?! You have some nerv telling me to relax after all you did. First you show up in my hometown and destroy it..."  
  
"It wasn't our intention to destroy it," Lee argued.  
  
"Oh sure, just like it wasn't your intention to kidnap me."  
  
"You chose to come with me, remember? And besides, the Commander wanted me to save you."  
  
Koshiro held out his arms to include the cave and said in a very sarcastic voice, "oh yeah, I feel real safe here."  
  
"Look, when my ship realizes that I haven't reported in, they'll come looking for us. Let's try to make the best of it."  
  
"And how am I suppose to do that?" Koshiro asked. Lee went up to the wall and slid her hand along it.  
  
"This wall is smooth, there's no way it could've been made naturally. It must've been made by humans."  
  
"So?"  
  
Lee turned towards him. "If humans did make this, then they must've made an alternate escape route in case of a cave in.  
Perhaps if we follow this tunnel, we can find it."  
  
"Look, lady, there's no way to tell if this WAS made by man. So maybe we should just stay here until the U.S.S. Crapstein  
comes to look for us."  
  
Lee turned towards him with a wary look. It was the kind of look a mother would give a child who just asked an extremely  
stupid question like 'am I going home?' Finally, she said, "Lee."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"My name. If you're going to insult me, you might as well insult me using my name. It's Lee, Lee Moshiro. And you   
are...?"  
  
He paused before replying, "Koshiro Anaka."  
  
"Nice to meet you, Koshiro." And then she turned and walked into the cave. Koshiro contimplated his options: he could  
follow this Lee woman into certain death or he could stay here where it was safe. Then again, if she did find a way out,  
she could tell the crew that he died and then he would really be screwed.  
  
Koshiro swallowed his pride and followed her.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
With Lee gone, Muro Okawa was at the communication system. Right now, she was trying to contact the Core Fighter and Lee.  
  
"Exalon to Core Fighter, respond... Core Fighter, come in... Lee, can you hear me?" Muro looked up at Commander Lucas  
and shook her head. "Nothing."  
  
Lucas nodded. "Keep trying."  
  
The Exalon had touched down about fifty miles from the former town of Scatterhaven. They were emitting Minovsky Particles  
so that the scanners wouldn't be able to pick them up.  
  
Lucas looked up at the Twins. "Any sign of the Core Fighter's transponder signal?"  
  
"Nothing here either, Commander," Tasha replied.  
  
Lucas sighed. It was way pass the deadline they set in their last communication with Lee.  
  
"Commander Lucas," Victor called from his station. "I think I have something." Lucas raised his head towards Victors'  
control station. "I've extrapolated the Core Fighter's flight path." He pointed on the overhead grid map to an area  
right above him. "Assuming they've been forced down by Zakus, this could be as far as they could get. Any closer and  
they'd crash into the mountains."  
  
"Then that's where we're heading. Muro, back to helm, we're going Core hunting." Muro got up from the communication   
station and returned to her original position. The Exalon took off again, this time following the path of the Core  
Fighter.  
  
"I'm detecting something," Victor called out after a while. "There's something metallic five kilometers port-side."  
  
"Land," Lucas ordered. "Muro, Henry, come with me." The Exalon landed and its loading bay opened. A jeep containing  
the three officers exited. They drove until they found a red and blue pile of rubble.  
  
"No doubt about it," Henry said. "It's the Core Fighter."  
  
"Does that mean..." Muro didn't want to finish the sentence. Was Lee really dead? What about the kid, was he dead too?  
Or was he captured by the AMEC army?  
  
"Hold on," Commander Lucas called. "Look at this." Muro and Henry went over to where Commander Lucas was and saw two  
parachutes crumpled up on the ground. "Henry, get Tasha and get some scanning equipment out here. They must be around  
here somewhere."  
  
Unknown to the crew of the Exalon, AMEC had left a scout behind to monitor anyone who would've wandered into the area,  
like the Exalon.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Base Commander was discussing different locations of the Exalon with Mileena when a soldier came in. After saluting,  
the soldier said, "We've just received a message from Cat's Eye One. The Feddy ship landed near where we destroyed that  
small fighter."  
  
Mileena slammed her fist on her palm. "I knew it, those two must've survived and now they called their ship to pick them  
up. You should've let me destroy them when we had the chance."  
  
"Calm down, Mileena. I doubt that they have confirmation of whether or not they are alive. At any rate, this is our time  
to strike."  
  
"And now you'll have the right resources," a new voice came in. Everybody turned to see a tall dark-skinned man walk in.  
He had short black dreadlocks and was dressed in a Captain's uniform. With him was Rashad, and a small white skin boy  
with shaggy black hair and brown eyes wearing an olive-green jumpsuit.  
  
"I am Captain Ferdinand Garrett of the Zeon," he introduced. "Are you in charge of this area?"  
  
"Yes, sir," the Commander saluted.  
  
"We just picked up the rest of your boys from the battlefield. This young man..." Garrett gestured to Rashad.  
"Was kind enough to inform us of what's been going on."  
  
All the AMEC officers know of the Zeon. It was just one of many attack ships that made up of the main Desert Army Fleet.  
It armor was so thick that it could survive the vacuum of space. The forest green vehicle looked like that of a battleship   
but it had two wings that tilted downward.  
  
The Base Commander crossed his arms. "I'm surprised that Command sent its pride and joy to deal with something as  
trivial as this."  
  
"When the target is the most important ship in the Federation fleet, nothing but the best will do," Garrett countered.  
"Allow me to introduce Ben Hoshum."  
  
The Base Commander stared at the boy. "I've heard of you," he said. "They call you the Dark Messiah, because you've been  
known to save people by annihilating the enemy." Ben just crossed his arms and closed his eyes as if he was  
uninterested in what was going on.  
  
Garrett took over. "We shall take over the task of destroying the Pegasus-class."  
  
"Commander, he can't be serious!" Mileena protested.  
  
Garrett handed the Base Commander some papers. "These orders say I have permission to assume command of the operation.  
I suggest that you honor them, they come from Second Prime Minister Howard himself."  
  
"Commander!"  
  
"Orders from such high up must be honored," the Base Commander commented. He saluted Garrett again. "Permission to  
turn command over to you."  
  
Garrett saluted back. "Granted. Thank you, Commander. You are relieved of command." The Base Commander turned and  
marched right out of the tent. Mileena ran after him.  
  
"Commander, you can't let that arrogant blowhard take command," she protested. "Are you going to let him walk all over  
you like some rabid dog?"  
  
The Base Commander turned to face her with a scowl on his face. "His orders came from Second Prime Minister Howard.  
Nobody dares question his orders except the Prime Minister herself. To deny orders from him would be consider not only  
an act of treason, but a gesture of suicide!"  
  
"No! Nobody will keep me from my revenge, not even headquarters." Mileena ran off to her Zaku.  
  
"Mileena, wait!" The Base Commander turned and ran back into the tent. "Sound the alarm, we have a deserter!"  
  
"Calm down, Commander," Captain Garrett said. "One deserter does not make the difference in a war. She will either be  
beneficial to us in destroying the Pegasus-Class or when we make our attack, she will get caught in the crossfire.  
Either way is no loss for us."  
  
The Base Commander and Rashad frowned. Garrett apparently cared as much about fellow soldiers as he does about an old   
pair of sneakers.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Lee heard a rock break off from the wall behind her. She shined the flashlight right in Koshiro's face.  
  
"Can you make some more noise?" She asked sarcastically. "I think there are still some colonies who haven't heard you."  
  
"Oh give me a break," Koshiro argued. "It's not like..."  
  
Lee slapped her hand over his mouth. "Ssshhh," she hissed. She gestured to ahead of them. A faint glow was coming  
from down the passageway.  
  
Koshiro pulled her hand away and quietly asked, "What is it?"  
  
"Don't know," Lee replied. "Let's check it out." The two slid along the walls until the light got brighter and brighter.  
  
Koshiro and Lee came out into a huge underground loading bay. It was about as big as a football field. The ground was a  
smooth metallic surface. A catwalk led around the entire area. Bright lights shone from the ceiling.  
  
They were stunned by that, but not as stunned as they were when they saw what was in the center of the bay. A large  
humanoid robot bended down on one knee, his left arm resting on the same knee, his head lowered like he was in some sort  
of thinker position. The head had what looked like gun barrels on each side of the forehead. It had no eyes, just two dark  
eye slits. In place of a mouth was some sort of metal mask. A large crest was at the center of its forehead. The body  
was rectangular and gray. Two vents on each side of what looked like some sort of door. The left arm had an arm band  
with the registry RX-83 on it. His back had some sort of pack on it with two large metal poles sticking out the top.  
Other than that, there was nothing remarkable about it.  
  
Behind it was another robot. This one looked more like a giant football player with two cannon barrels on its shoulders.  
Although it was shorter and detailed differently from the first one, it was clear that they were made the same. Both were  
stark white.  
  
"My God, what are these thing?" Lee asked.  
  
"I was hoping you could tell me," Koshiro replied mimicing her tone of voice. Lee looked around and spotted an elevator.  
She took Koshiro by the hand and led him to the elevator. They rode down and came out into the lower bay.  
  
They carefully approached the first giant robot, the one down on one knee. Koshiro walked around it while Lee slid her  
hand along its smooth metal surface.  
  
"It looks just like the robots that attacked us," Koshiro observed. "You think this is some sort of production facility?"  
  
"Might explain why they're so interested in this area," Lee agreed.  
  
Koshiro looked around and spotted a door off to the side. He carefully went through it. He discovered a control room.  
A control panel and monitor screen covered one side. There was another door off to the right. Koshiro laid his hand  
along a wall and accidentally hit a light switch.  
  
"Lee," he called. "Look at this." She joined him in the control room.  
  
"Maybe there's something in here," she said as she turned on the computer. Immediately, a strange symbol came on the   
screen. It looked like Earth with a blue ring running diagonally around it. "Oh my God! That's the Earth Federation   
symbol!"  
  
"That must mean this was being produced by the Earth Federation, but why haven't they sent itinto mass production?"   
Koshiro asked.  
  
"I'm not... wait, look at the bottom of the screen." Towards the bottom of the screen was a date: UC-0083.  
  
"Double-O-Eighty-Three?" Lee read? "This facility must've been abandoned by the Federation for over two hundred years."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know, but it looks like they were put into storage."  
  
Reading a document in the computer's database explained that the Earth Federation had been developing these Mobile  
Suits for a long time. When funding stopped for some unknown reason, they were put into storage, or so that's what the  
document claimed.  
  
"Do these robots have a name?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"They're not robots, they're Mobile Suits," Lee corrected, reading from the screen. She then checked the computer.   
After reading the information, she slowly turned towards Koshiro. "The name is Gundam."  
  
Koshiro looked at her confused. "Gundam? That's a funny name."  
  
"Yeah, I agree."  
  
Suddenly a proximity alarm went off. A new screen opened up and it showed the Exalon.  
  
"That's my ship, the Exalon!" Lee said excitedly. Then frowned. "What's that..." She pressed a couple of buttons.  
The screen zoomed in on a Zaku flying towards them.  
  
"It's one of those ro... Mobile Suits that attacked Scatterhaven," Lee said. "We have to warn the..." When she turned   
around she discovered that she was the only one in the room. "Hey, Koshiro? Where did you go?" She left the control  
room and spotted Koshiro staring at the Gundam in the thinker position. Suddenly the hand lowered in front of him.  
A hatch in the stomach area folded down to reveal a cockpit chair. Slowly, Koshiro stepped onto the Gundam's hand. The  
hand raised itself so that it was level with the stomach area.  
  
"Koshiro, what are you doing?" Lee asked. "Get down from there immediately!" But Koshiro was already disappearing inside  
the stomach.  
  
Inside was a simple chair. When Koshiro sat in it, the outer hatch closed and a second hatch slid in front of Koshiro.  
The controls were raised from an area beneath the chair. Two control levers, two pedals, and various buttons.  
  
In front of Lee's eyes, the Gundam as well as the floor underneath it began moving. An entire wall opened up to reveal  
a track leading upward.  
  
"Koshiro, please be careful," Lee said quietly.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Mileena's Zaku attacks the Exalon in furious rage. Koshiro demonstrates the superiority of the Gundam by defeating her  
in battle. Soon, reinforcements arrive but they're more interested in attacking the Gundam then helping Mileena.  
  
Next episode: Gundam's Wraith.   
  
The Zakus feel the fury of the B-Gundam. 


	4. Gundam's Wraith

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
The calendar of the Universal Century has reached the year 300. The Earth has fallen into a state of disarray due to a  
war against an organization of countries who are seeking total world domination. Even though the Earth Federation has  
numbers on their side, they are being overwhelmed by the battle-hardened soldiers of the Alliance of Middle-Eastern  
Countries. This is because they had one advantage: strange humanoid machines that could devastate entire platoons  
with a single strafe. To make matters worse, the Colonies have severed all diplomatic and economic ties.  
  
Now, one ship will reawaken an ancient power that will turn the tides in this Century Dawn War.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro and Lee were forced down near a large mountain. Once there, they discovered a hidden Earth Federation facility  
housing two incredible Mobile Suits called Gundams. The Exalon arrived and started to look for them but they spotted  
Mileena's Zaku heading towards them head on. Koshiro got inside the Gundam and is now heading towards the Exalon.  
  
[Title: Gundam's Wraith]  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
As Koshiro rode the Gundam up, he tried to remember what caused him to enter this thing in the first place. He wasn't a  
military officer, he wasn't a technician, heck, he had trouble riding a bicycle. But here he was, in the cockpit of  
a strange giant robot, over 200 years old. And he was about to go into battle against a battle-hardened soldier bent on  
getting revenge for who knows what. And to make matters worse, he still couldn't find anything which looked like a  
monitor. But... why did all this feel like it was something he had to do, like he knew it all along? That scared him  
even more.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Up on the surface, Commander Lucas along with Tasha Benson and Henry Kozuko were setting up some scanning   
equipment. The scanner would use radar the same way bats would to find their way to see inside the mountain if there   
was anything inside at all.  
  
"Okay, Commander, we're ready on this end," Henry announced.  
  
"All right. Tasha, let it rip."  
  
From her remote station, Tasha activated the scanner. A faint thumping sound came from the machine. Tasha reported  
what was on her display.  
  
"Okay, let's see what we have here... Commander, there is... I think it's a mine shaft. It goes far into the mountain.  
The scanner reads about two miles and that's the limit of the range of the scanner."  
  
"All right. Henry, let's get some digging equipment and..."  
  
It was then that the phone at Commander Lucas' belt rang. He picked it up. "Lucas."  
  
"Commander," came the voice of Helm Officer Muro Okawa. "Sensors are detecting a Zaku Mobile Suit..."  
  
Suddenly large bullets pierced the shell of the scanner and destroyed it sending Lucas, Tasha, and Henry diving for  
cover from the exploding shrapnel.  
  
"Commander, are you all right?" Muro asked over the phone.  
  
"Fine, but I think your info has come a little too late. Activate all weapons."  
  
"Sir, most of our weapons are still down."  
  
"Well activate the ones that are still working. Shoot that Zaku down!"  
  
Three cannons came out from the Exalon and tried firing but the Zaku was at a bad angle for them.  
  
In the cockpit, Mileena exploded in a thunderous rage. She will avenge Naram by completely destroying the Feddy ship.  
Any hope of logic or reasoning had long since gone from her mind. Now, only revenge remained.  
  
"Die, you Feddy bastards!" She shouted in a war cry. She got her heat hawk out and looked around for a target.  
She spotted Commander Lucas, separated from the others. Her first act of revenge, killing the captain of the ship  
that killed Naram. She got ready to split the Commander into two.  
  
"Commander, no!" Tasha called out.  
  
"Noah, look out!" Muro warned abandoning all formalities.  
  
Suddenly the ground around them started to shake. Everybody turned to see two slabs of rock in the side of the mountain  
part open like elevator doors. Behind them was a large metal panel with the Earth Federation logo.  
  
"There WAS a Federation base here!" Mileena deduced.  
  
"What the hell is that?" Lucas asked.  
  
"Oh my God!" Tasha gasped.  
  
"That's the Federation symbol," Muro recognized.  
  
The panel rose like a garage door. Inside, a panel clicked into place. The Gundam was on it. It slowly rose and walked  
forward.  
  
"I... I don't believe it!" Lucas stuttered. "It's a Gundam!"  
  
"A what?" Henry asked.  
  
"The Federation had been developing a Mobile Suit. How could our intelligence not know this? I must destroy it!"  
Seeing the Mobile Suit seemed to ease the anger a little. Mileena rose her heat hawk again and charged the Gundam.  
  
Koshiro grunted as the heat hawk struck against the Gundam's armor skin. "Great, I'm fighting blind."  
  
"Koshiro, can you hear me?"  
  
"Huh? Who's that?"  
  
"It's me, Lee Moshiro."  
  
"Lee? How are you...?"  
  
"The control room has a communication program with the Gundam," Lee explained.  
  
Lee was right. She had a headset and now had a visual on what's outside. "Koshiro, listen to me, I discovered that  
there's a reason this Gundam has no monitors. It apparently has some sort of interface sequence. But until someone  
can figure out how it works, I'll be your eyes. Now listen very carefully, imagine a clock, a giant clock and you're  
at the center of it."  
  
"O... okay."  
  
"Now listen for my instructions." Lee began calling out numbers. "Koshiro, eleven o'clock, attack now!" Koshiro moved  
the Gundam fist up and punched Mileena's Zaku. The Zaku stumbled back.  
  
"How did he do that?" Mileena asked and moved to attack it from behind.  
  
"Koshiro, six o'clock!" This time, the Gundam's foot met the chest of the Zaku.  
  
"Incredible!" Henry commented. "It's like that Mobile Suit knows exactly when and where the Zaku is going to attack."  
  
"Hand-to-hand combat," Commander Lucas muttered. "Grandpa never wrote about a Gundam doing that."  
  
"Koshiro," Lee called. "I checked the computer files and the Gundam does have weapons. There are two vulcan cannons  
in the head. Use them."  
  
Koshiro spotted a button on the side of the handle on the left. He pushed it.  
  
Outside, bullets lanced out from the Gundam and straifed the top of the Exalon.  
  
"Koshiro, stop! You're going to hit the Exalon."  
  
{And that's a bad thing?} Koshiro thought to himself. He was still upset that the Exalon had a hand in destroying  
Scatterhaven.  
  
"Koshiro, the Zaku is coming at nine o'clock, turn left and use the vulcans!" Koshiro complied with Lee's instructions.  
The Zaku was thrown to the ground.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The battle was not going unnoticed. High in the sky on board the Zeon, Captain Garrett watched along with Ben, Rashad,  
and the Base Commander.  
  
"So the Federation have been developing Mobile Suits of their own," Garrett mused.  
  
"It doesn't look so tough. I could probably beat it with one hand tied behind my Mobile Suit's back," Ben bragged.  
  
"Then why don't you?" Garrett asked.  
  
"What the hey, sure."  
  
"Ben, take Rashad and a some other Zakus. They'll make sure your battle with the Feddy's Mobile Suit is fair."  
  
"Fairs are for tourist," Ben quipped. "But if they want to watch, go right ahead."  
  
Rashad scowled. He didn't like being a spectator.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro let loose with a one-two combo that made Mileena drop her heat hawk. Mileena quickly fired her machine gun.  
  
"Lee, does this thing have any defenses?"  
  
"According to the computer files, it does. A Beam Shield."  
  
"Beam Shield? What's that?"  
  
"Who knows, just activate it."  
  
"Okay."  
  
On the outside, a gauntlet on the Gundam's right forearm rose a little. A blue glow in the shape of a shield appeared.  
The shield reflected most of the bullets.  
  
Suddenly the Gundam reached behind him and pulled out one of the poles that was in its back. Holding it out vertically,  
a beam of energy came out of it. It formed a sword-like weapon.  
  
The Gundam charged forward. With one swing, it cut off Mileena's right arm, then did the same thing with her left arm.  
It then went with a horizontal slice, separating the Zaku's legs from the rest of it.  
  
Mileena felt herself plummet to the ground. She banged her head on the control panel.  
  
"Ow," she moaned. Then sat up. Her cockpit was falling apart. Her controls weren't working, but miraculously, her  
power was still connected to her scanners. Her view screen showed the Gundam standing over her, looking menacing.  
For once in her life, Mileena was scared.  
  
Suddenly the Gundam was strafed with lasers. Only a quick raise of his Beam Shield arm protected the Gundam.  
  
Everybody turned to see several Zakus descend from the sky. These Zakus held beam pistols, not normal machine guns.  
With them was a large black Zaku with spikes on its shoulder and forearm crescent-shaped blades.  
  
"The Dark Messiah," Mileena recognized.  
  
"Lee, what's going on? How about an update?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"Several more Zakus just landed, and one of them looks pretty menacing. Hold your shield in front of you and brace for  
anything."  
  
Koshiro nodded and raised the beam shield.  
  
Ben saw this. "Nice try, robot, but Archangel can more than take it. He strikes with the wraith of heaven." Suddenly the  
spikes shot out at the Gundam. They were attached to large metal cables. They wrapped themselves around the Gundam's  
leg and dragged it down. The Gundam lost its grip on the energy saber.  
  
Koshiro grunted and fired the Vulcans again. This time, he didn't care who he hit. The bullets made their way up to  
the mono eye of Ben's Zaku. A visor slid together to cover the eye.  
  
"Ha!" Ben said harshly. "Is that the best you can do?"  
  
The Gundam's hand reached out and gripped the cables and began pulling on them. Archangel fell on his butt.  
The Gundam's other arm reached out and gripped the head of Ben's Zaku. It began squeezing it.  
  
Monitors sparked and Ben covered his face to protect himself from them. "I guess I've underestimated this Federation  
Mobile Suit."  
  
Archangel reached out slugged the Gundam in the stomach. Koshiro grunted, it felt like he was getting punched and not  
the Gundam. Archangel raised his fist again. Ben knew that if he could strike the chest region enough times, the Mobile  
Suit would be done for. As he brought his fist down, the Gundam's hands reached up and stopped it. It actually  
began crushing the hand.  
  
Everybody couldn't believe what happened, especially Lee considering Koshiro had no window to the outside world.  
  
"It seems that I'm going to need some strategy." The cables released the Gundam and took off. The other Zakus also  
began taking off.  
  
"Hey! What about me?" Mileena called out. "Hello! Someone pick me up here!"  
  
One of the Zakus looked down at her. "Hey, what about Mileena?"  
  
"Leave her," came the voice of Captain Garrett. "You'll just get caught by the Federation if you go back for her.  
Return to base."  
  
"Do it," echoed Ben. He was semi-worried for the deranged officer. The Zakus headed off into the horizon.  
  
Koshiro pulled the Gundam back into its original position. The damage screens showed that the armor plating on the back  
has been damaged but only minorly. Overall there was nothing major wrong with it.  
  
The Gundam's chest hatch opened and Koshiro stepped out onto the Gundam's palm. The Gundam lowered its hand in front of  
Commander Lucas, Tasha, and Henry.  
  
"I am Commander Noah Lucas, commanding officer of the Exalon," he introduced.  
  
"Koshiro Anaka. I should use this thing to stomp you flat for destroying my hometown."  
  
"Oh no you won't," Henry said pulling his gun on Koshiro. Commander Lucas stretched out his arm signalling Henry to stop.  
  
"You're right. You have every right to stomp on us. But are you aware that that Gundam you're in is Federation property?  
You would've been branded a traitor and a force would've been sent to destroy you."  
  
"What's a Gundam?" Tasha asked although she had a pretty good idea of what they were talking about.  
  
"You want to destroy us yet you helped us," Lucas pointed out.  
  
"I owe you guys for rescuing me. Now we are even."  
  
"That's right. Now the question is... what do we do now?" Koshiro and Lucas stared at the Gundam as if it held all the  
answers.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro agrees to accompany Lucas and the Exalon to the Federation Military Headquarters in Washington. Captain Garrett  
and the Zeon begin to pursue them. A spy on the Exalon steals the blueprints for the Gundam. And Paiyako returns  
to the ruins of Scatterhaven and fears the worse.  
  
Next episode: Rebellion and Deception.   
  
Alliances will be formed... and tested. 


	5. Rebellion and Deception

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
The calendar of the Universal Century has reached the year 300. The Earth has fallen into a state of disarray due to a  
war against an organization of countries who are seeking total world domination. Even though the Earth Federation has  
numbers on their side, they are being overwhelmed by the battle-hardened soldiers of the Alliance of Middle-Eastern  
Countries. This is because they had one advantage: strange humanoid machines that could devastate entire platoons  
with a single strafe. To make matters worse, the Colonies have severed all diplomatic and economic ties.  
  
Now, one ship will reawaken an ancient power that will turn the tides in this Century Dawn War.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
In blind rage, Mileena's Zaku attacked the Exalon, who was trying to find out what happened to their Core Fighter.  
Before she could deliver the final blow to Commander Lucas, Koshiro appeared in the Gundam and attacked her back.  
Soon, Ben Hoshum, the Dark Messiah, appeared in his Zaku, Archangel along with a small force of Zakus. Ben and  
Koshiro engaged in battle before the Zakus were recalled. They left without Mileena.  
  
Henry Kozuko, Chief Engineering Officer of the Exalon stared at the exposed control panel. He let out a loud whistle.  
  
"This thing has some nice insides," he commented. "Neuro-reflexive circuitry, movement sensitive targeting program,  
hell, this thing even has an optional flight ability."  
  
"But nothing that looks like a view screen?" Koshiro Anaka asked over his shoulder.  
  
"Maybe, maybe not. The Earth Federation obviously built this thing to be more than a fixed weapon. Hello!" Henry tapped   
a circuit and a wire popped out from above. "Here's something.Looks like a headphone jack. There must be a helmet or   
something, like our virtual guidance goggles." Henry replaced the plating on the side of the control panel. He and Koshiro   
pulled back and sat on the Gundam's giant hand.  
  
Henry said, "The virtual guidance technology is relatively new. If what you said was accurate, then this Mobile Suit   
served as the vehicle for the first virtual guidance system."  
  
"Unfortunately they never got a chance to use it," Koshiro exposited. "Their funding stopped. Your virtual goggles  
must've been of an off-shoot of this project."  
  
The Gundam's hand lowered to the ground and the two got off. They joined Commander Noah Lucas and Operator Tasha Benson.  
  
"Well, Henry, what's the prognosis?"  
  
"It takes a lot to impress me, Commander, yet this thing has done just that."  
  
"Imagine if all the Federation forces had a Gundam, we'd win this war for sure."  
  
"There might be some blueprints in the computer inside the control room down there." Koshiro pointed to the mountain that   
once housed the Gundam.  
  
"Then that's our next stop. Will you show us the way, Koshiro?"  
  
"I'm not sure, what's in it for me?" He asked. Lucas had no reply. "Here's an idea, if I help you, you give me the   
Gundam."  
  
"Give you the Gundam?!" Tasha asked wide-eyed.  
  
"It's the least you could do in repayment for destroying my home town."  
  
Lucas sighed and nodded. "Terms accepted."  
  
"All right, I'll show you to the control room. That's where the blueprints will be stored."  
  
Just then one of the cargo bays opened and a humvee drove out. In the driver seat was the helms operator Muro Okawa.  
She drove up to the group.  
  
"Commander Lucas, sir, are you all right?"  
  
"No worse for wear. Koshiro Anaka, helms woman Muro Okawa. Muro, this is the Gundam pilot."  
  
Muro looked at him firmly and saluted. Koshiro didn't really know how to respond so he just nodded.  
  
After Muro was given the lowdown, Koshiro picked up everyone in the Gundam's palm and the Gundam got back onto its  
platform.  
  
"Lee, it's Koshiro. Can you retract the platform, I'm coming in... and I have some friends of yours."  
  
"Roger, Koshiro." The Gundam got down on one knee and the platform descended.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The hatch on Mileena's Zaku popped open. Mileena stumbled out. Her face was bloody and her arm hung at her right side.  
She was limping.  
  
"They've abandoned me," she said to herself. "My own allies... my comrades... abandoned me... they all will pay...  
every one of them will pay!" She hobbled away into the forest, away from her Zaku.  
  
Away from her old life.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"This base must've been here for at least thirty years," Henry figured as he looked at the shaft.  
  
"How come the Earth Federation didn't know about this?" Muro asked.  
  
Commander Lucas guessed, "It was probably never initiated in the first place."  
  
The platform stopped. Lee was waiting in the middle of the bay where the Gundam was first discovered. She saluted as Lucas  
and the others were let down.  
  
"Good to see you alive, Lieutenant," Lucas said returning the salute. "When the Core Fighter crashed, I feared the worse."  
  
"Thank you, sir, Koshiro and I managed to escape just before it was destroyed."  
  
"Lee, the Commander would like you to find the blueprints for the Gundam," Koshiro said reminding them of why they came  
down here in the first place.  
  
"Of course, follow me." Lee and the others went into the control room. Henry manned the consol and accessed the blueprints.  
  
Henry let out another whistle. "Wow, these things are very specific. Whoever designed these things planned out  
everything in excrutiating detail."  
  
"So what makes these Gundams so remarkable?" Muro asked. "I mean what makes them different from the Zakus?"  
  
"It's their brain," Henry explained. "The Gundam contains a sort of artificial intelligence.Let's call it the G-System for   
now. It is capable of analyzing and memorizing attack patterns and strategies of opponents and prepare the necessary   
means to counteract it."  
  
"So it was the Gundam that was doing the fighting, not Koshiro?" Tasha asked giving Koshiro, who just walked in, a sly  
smile.  
  
"Not really. The G-System prepares the countermeasures but the pilot carries them out. It's like the pilot is the spinal  
cord between the brain and body."  
  
"So it's like the Gundam and the pilot are one and the same," Lucas analyzed.  
  
"That's exactly what I mean, but even with the G-System helping, the skills Koshiro displayed during the battle were   
incredible."  
  
"You can give us more details later, Henry, right now download the blueprints," Lucas ordered.  
  
"You bet. Tash, got a CD?"  
  
"I don't leave home without one." Tasha reached into the pack and took out a blank CD. Henry inserted it into the drive.  
  
"One Gundam blueprints downloading." Everybody watched as a status bar slowly became blue. The CD was ejected and Henry showed it to them.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, the fate of the Earth Federation is in our hand."  
  
Suddenly a shot rang out and the disk was thrown from Henry's hand. It landed on the ground. Everybody turned to see a   
woman standing by the door. She was dressed in an blue Exalon uniform but the jacket was unzipped revealing a white  
undershirt. She was twirling a handgun around her finger like a pro. She had black hair down to her earlobes and tanned   
skin.  
  
"Who are you?" Lucas asked. "Why did you do that?"  
  
"Let's just say I represent a party who's very interested in this technology. So rather than download a copy for myself,  
I think I'll simply borrow yours."  
  
"Over my dead body," Lucas declared.  
  
"Fine by me," she replied firing her gun, this time directly at the group. Lucas, Muro, Henry, Lee, and Tasha dodged  
and aimed their weapon at her. They fired. With uncanny agility, she flipped into the air and dodged all their bullets.  
She landed right in front of them. She threw a spinning kick that sent Lucas half way across the room. She got Muro  
in a judo hold and threw her at Henry.  
  
A large hand broke through the wall and grabbed her.  
  
"Guns aren't nice," Koshiro said from the open cockpit door.  
  
"True, but then again..." The woman slipped out of her jacket and therefor, out of the Gundam's grasp. "Neither am I." She   
flipped over the Exalon crew and grabbed the CD. "Keep the jacket," she called. "Consider it a trade."  
  
"Oh no you don't!" The Gundam's hand came down again, this time his intention was to squish her flat. But she rolled  
forward and dove between the Gundam's legs.  
  
Koshiro growled in anger. "Without any decent cameras, my sight is extremely limited!"  
  
"See ya'!" The woman blew a kiss to the Gundam then ran to the ramp. It began to rise up again.  
  
"No!" Koshiro reached out with the Gundam's hand but the rise already disappeared into the tunnel.  
  
Lucas reached for his cell phone. "Shinji, there's a woman in blue heading your way. Use whatever means necessary to stop   
her."  
  
"Aye, sir. I'll catch her myself if possible."  
  
"With our weapons destroyed, you just might have to do that, Shinji."  
  
When the woman got back to the surface, she came across Henry and a security detail holding weapons.  
  
"All right, lady, just hand over the disk and you can leave quietly."  
  
"No," the woman said simply. She drew a gun she had tucked underneath her shirt and fired. One of Shinji's security guard   
fell. The others returned fire but they all missed. The woman kicked Shinji, shot one of the other guards down then took  
off into the forest. When the guards tried to track her, they could find no sign of her.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"One man dead, two more injured, and now we have a crazy woman with all our secrets," Commander Lucas said, his temper   
rising with each word. "Henry, who was that psychopath?"  
  
"You got me, Commander."  
  
"I think I know," Koshiro spoke up. The crew turned towards him. "Her name is Sasari Mei, also known as the Dark Scorpion.  
They say she's part of some sort of rebellion that's forming against both the Desert Dictators and the Earth Federation."  
  
"And how do you know all this?" Lee inquired.  
  
"Because... she was originally from Scatterhaven." Henry, Muro, and Tasha were taken aback but the rest weren't. They waited for Koshiro to continue. "My village always wanted to stay neutral. But Sasari wouldn't hear of it. She thought we should rise up against both the Earth Federation and AMEC."  
  
"Why? All we want to do is protect the people."  
  
"Well Sasari didn't think so. She thought that you preferred blowing up the enemy to protecting the people. I can see why  
she might think that now. So she took off."  
  
"I see. She must've snuck aboard to find out about our strategies and instead found this," Lucas concluded. "Well, now  
we have a problem on our hands. Looks like we'll need that prototype after all, Koshiro."  
  
"It won't be too hard to make another copy," Henry said. "The problem is we now have sensitive information that leaked out.  
We need to get this to the Earth Federation Council as soon as possible."  
  
Lucas turned to Koshiro. "Koshiro, if we take the blueprints to the Earth Federation Council, there's a chance they won't  
believe us, but if we bring them a working prototype, they just might approve a mass production of the Gundam."  
  
"I don't know. You destroy my home town, kidnap me, put me in danger, and now you expect me to help you?"  
  
"Perhaps you are right. I wouldn't want to put you in danger."  
  
"Well I think it's a little too late for that, isn't it?"  
  
"You're right," Lucas decided. "I retract my offer. We'll have to make do with the blueprints."  
  
"Wait a second, I never said I wouldn't help you."  
  
"Well, which is it?" Henry asked, scratching around his injured hand.  
  
Truthfully, Koshiro didn't know which he should choose. Then he realized that he didn't really had much of a choice.   
Whether he liked it or not, he was seen as being on the Federation side now. But he had to look after himself and his  
village, despite its current condition.  
  
"I'll tell you what, I'll go with you to the Earth Federation council, vouch for the Gundam and what not, but after that,  
I'm out and taking the Gundam with me. You'll still have the blueprints and that backup Gundam."  
  
Lucas sighed. They would lose their main assett but it was a chance he was willing to take. "Agreed. We'll load both   
Gundams onto the Exalon and take it to the EF Council in Washington D.C."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
[_I'll be right behind you. Now go_!]   
  
Those were the words heard right before the entire countryside was engulfed in a flash of light.  
  
Paiyako awoke with fright. She quickly sat up and looked around. She was in the forest laying against a tree. The sun was   
still up so she couldn't have been sleeping for long. What worried her was the silence.  
  
The deep silence.  
  
Paiyako got up and turned to look at the horizon. Smoke was still rising from where Scatterhaven once was.  
  
"I have to go back," she declared. She ran down the hill to the path that lead back to the valley. She kept running  
until she reached the town limits.  
  
To say that it looked like a war zone would be an understatement. Some building had been completely blown away. Those that were lucky were just made into rubble.  
  
To Paiyako's relief, there were people walking around. She spotted Mr. Christopher, one of her teachers and a long time  
friend, tending to a child's wound.  
  
"Mr. Christopher, Mr. Christopher!" She called out.  
  
The elderly man looked up. "Hmm? Paiyako! Thank heavens you're alive."  
  
"So are you! I was afraid everyone was killed."  
  
"Well, there were so few survivors that we all might as well be."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Paiyako, those who weren't killed or injured in the blast are scarred for life. They have been ripped from their families,  
their friends, their very way of life. So in short, they were killed."  
  
Paiyako clenched a fist. "It's all the Federation's fault. If they hadn't come..."  
  
"Are you so sure it's the Federation's fault?"  
  
Paiyako looked at him like he was crazy. "I saw the ship! I saw the blasts fire! I saw everything! It was their fault!"  
  
"Well why were they firing? I hardly doubt that they just started firing for the heck of it."  
  
"They were attacking those giant robots..." Paiyako began.  
  
"So these 'giant robots' are just as guilty as the Earth Federation."  
  
"Yeah. I'm sure Koshiro... oh my God, I almost forgot! Mr. Christopher, have you seen Koshiro?"  
  
Mr. Christopher gave her a surprised look. "Koshiro? I haven't seen him all day."  
  
"Oh no, no, no." Paiyako turned and ran from the village. She ran until she came to the battlesite. A Zakus was  
strewn about like dead bodies. Metal everywhere, blood everywhere.  
  
"Koshiro!" Paiyako called, then again. "Koshiro! Koshiro, can you hear me?! Koshiro!"  
  
"Paiyako-child." It was Mr. Christopher. He came up to her and put a blanket around her.  
  
Paiyako managed to speak between sobs. "He... he said he would be right behind me. He wanted to stop... them. I haven't gone far when there was this huge flash of light... oh God! Oh God!" Paiyako dropped to her knees."Mr. Christopher... doesn't anybody have any compassion any more?"  
  
"I don't know, Paiyako. Perhaps we were the last compassionate town on the planet."  
  
Paiyako suddenly firmed up and stood dropping the blanket to the ground. "I can never forgive the Federation or AMEC for   
what they have done." A red bandanna was carried by the wind over to her. She caught it in her now iron-type grip  
and tied it around her head.  
  
"Paiyako, what are you planning on doing?" Mr. Christopher asked.  
  
"I'm going to join the Terran Alliance."  
  
"Sasari's resistance movement? Paiyako, how do you know that exists?"  
  
"I don't. If it doesn't, then I'll make my own. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure AMEC and the Earth Federation get   
what's coming to them! Mr. Christopher, please gather up the survivors and lead them to Porter City. The government there   
will give them shelter until they can find new housing."  
  
Mr. Christopher nodded. He could see how passionate Paiyako was about this. He couldn't stop her. Paiyako gave  
Mr. Christopher an embrace before running off.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Well that's it," Henry said. "The Gundams are aboard, I downloaded the blueprints directly to the Exalon's main frame  
so we have no more incidents like this one. We're all set."  
  
Commander Lucas nodded and turned to Koshiro. "Koshiro, last chance to change your mind. Do you still want to do this?"  
  
Koshiro nodded. "Looks like I'm in." Lucas, Koshiro, and Henry got into the humvee driven by Muro and the humvee began  
driving to the cargo bay of the Exalon. But something was lingering on Muro's mind and Commander Lucas knew what it was.  
Her calling out his first name during the battle with the deranged Zaku. Her betrayal of feelings during the battle.  
  
"Commander?" Muro addressed.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"In all the excitement, I forgot to say... well... I apologize for my... informality during the battle."  
  
Commander Lucas put on a confused face. "Informality?"  
  
"Yes... I had no right to say what I said, you are my superior and you need to be addressed with respect in all  
circumstances."  
  
"I apologize too, Commander, I was too busy trying to survive an attack by a Zaku, I'm afraid I didn't hear what you said."  
He gave her a small smile that wasn't lost on Koshiro and Henry. "What did you say?"  
  
Muro stared at the spedometer. "Nothing... it was nothing important."  
  
"Oh, okay then. We won't discuss it any further."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Koshiro and Henry saw the look in Commander Lucas' eye. He did hear what she said but apparently he didn't want to  
embarrass her.  
  
Koshiro sat back in his seat. This was going to be some weird adventure.  
  
On the Zeon, a soldier came to Captain Garrett. "Sir, our scouts report that the Federation Flagship is powering up."  
  
"Follow them. With any luck, they have the Mobile Suit with them."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Paiyako discovers the hiding place of Sasari Mei and the Terran Alliance and asks to join. She  
discovers that there is another recruit who wants to join: Mileena, a Zaku pilot who defected.  
The two are put through tests of strength, endurance, courage, and loyalty. Meanwhile, the Zeon  
attacks the Exalon and Koshiro uses the Gundam to defend the ship and the crew.   
  
Next episode: Basic Training.   
  
Warriors are formed. 


	6. Basic Training

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
The calendar of the Universal Century has reached the year 300. The Earth has fallen into a state of disarray due to a  
war against an organization of countries who are seeking total world domination. Even though the Earth Federation has  
numbers on their side, they are being overwhelmed by the battle-hardened soldiers of the Alliance of Middle-Eastern  
Countries. This is because they had one advantage: strange humanoid machines that could devastate entire platoons  
with a single strafe. To make matters worse, the Colonies have severed all diplomatic and economic ties.  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
[Title: Basic Training]  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Paiyako Mushimi awoke to find herself laying in a field. Morning dew made it shine like treasure. Paiyako shivered  
and pulled on her T-Shirt. She'd been using it as a pillow. She wasn't worried about anybody appearing and seeing her,  
people rarely went this deep into the forest.  
  
Which made it a prime location for the base of the Terran Alliance.  
  
When Paiyako was little, she heard stories about Sasari Mei, the Dark Scorpion. She once was able to trick a platoon  
from both the Earth Federation and AMEC into attacking each other. The resulting battle had been considered bloody  
by both sides. In short, she was a woman not to be messed with.  
  
Paiyako rubbed her eyes and discovered that they were wet with tears. She had been crying during the night and she knew   
why.  
  
Koshiro.  
  
For as long as she could remember, Paiyako and Koshiro had been friends. They did everything together. Nobody minded it,  
in fact they expected it to turn into a romance. But then the Earth Federation and the AMEC forces brought their bloody  
and pointless war to Scatterhaven and killed him.  
  
Being reminded of that only fueled her anger at the Earth Federation. She punched the ground in anger. Then got up  
and continued her walk. She hadn't gotten far when a gust of wind came up. Paiyako shivered but had to continue her  
trek.  
  
The cock of a gun startled her as she felt a cold barrel press against the back of her neck.  
  
"Put your arms behind your head and drop to your knees," a harsh male voice ordered. Paiyako had no choice but to  
comply with the man's order. "You're far away from home little girl."  
  
"What home?" Paiyako countered. "I no longer have one."  
  
"Well cry me a river."  
  
"I'm looking for the Terran Alliance!"  
  
"What do you want with them?" The man asked.  
  
"I wish to join them."  
  
"The Terran Alliance aren't the Girl Scouts, they don't just pick up anybody."  
  
"Are you part of the Terran Alliance? Can you take me to Sasari Mei?"  
  
"You are in no position to be giving orders."  
  
"Please, I need to see Sasari Mei. I'm from Scatterhaven."  
  
"I thought you said you didn't have a home."  
  
"Hacker, at ease," a female voice barked. At the risk of being shot, Paiyako turned around. The man called Hacker  
had long scraggly black hair and a full beard that made him look like Jesus Christ. He was wearing combat fatigues  
and had what looked like a large machine gun pointed at her. The woman was tanned with short dark hair and  
almond-colored eyes in half-moon-shaped eyelids. She wore a thin white undershirt and blue stretch pants with white boots.  
  
"I am Sasari Mei," the woman announced. "Who might you be?"  
  
"I'm Paiyako Mushimi. I'm from Scatterhaven!"  
  
"Scatterhaven?" Sasari looked deeply at her as if she was burning a hole straight to her soul. "Of course! I remember you  
now, you always used to hang around what's-his-name..."  
  
"Koshiro. Koshiro Anaka."  
  
"Yeah, that's him. So tell me, what's up in Scatterhaven."  
  
"It's been destroyed!"  
  
"What?!" Sasari gripped Paiyako's shoulders and started shaking her. "Tell me, who did this? The Earth Federation or   
AMEC?"  
  
"They both did. AMEC showed up first, then the Earth Federation. They battled, they destroyed Scatterhaven.  
They even killed Koshiro. Some of the townspeople managed to survive but the town itself was obliterated."  
  
Sasari frowned then punched a tree. "Damn, I was afraid something like this would happen. I guess it's a good thing  
I got this." She reached into her back and took out a CD. "With this, the Terran Alliance will put both of them  
into their place."  
  
"What is it?" Paiyako asked.  
  
"I'll tell you later. Come with me." With Raven still training his gun on her back, Sasari led the two of them into  
the forest.  
  
"You know, you're the second one to ask to join us today."  
  
"Second? Who's the first?" Sasari gave out a sharp whistle. From behind a tree, another woman stepped out. She was  
dressed in an olive green jumpsuit. Her hair was in dreadlocks and her dark skin was covered with bruises. She looked  
at Paiyako and her eyes widened. Paiyako's did likewise."  
  
"You!" They both cried out at the same time.  
  
"I see you two know each other," Sasari said with an amused smile.  
  
"You were part of the robot team that attacked me."  
  
"You were with that kid who gave us the wrong directions. Well now you don't have that Earth Federation flagship to  
defend you."  
  
"You have a lot of nerve. You destroyed my town just as much as that flagship."  
  
"Your town served as a front for that Earth Federation base. I saw the Mobile Suit you were developing."  
  
"What?! What's a Mobile Suit? What are you talking about?"  
  
"Don't deny it! I saw your friends go into the cave."  
  
"What cave? Lady, you make about as much sense as an old toothbrush."  
  
"Ladies, ladies, please calm down," Sasari interrupted. "You both want to join us, eh? Well I will let you both join,  
however you two must do something."  
  
"What's that?" They both asked.  
  
"Survive."  
  
"Survive?" Paiyako couldn't believe what she was hearing.  
  
"That's right." Sasari handed them a GPS scanner. "This will lead you to our base. You two will have to walk there.  
If you manage to get there without killing yourselves, you're in. But you both have to arrive there."  
  
"What if one of us dies?" Mileena asked.  
  
"Then the other must carry her body to the base. But I want to see both of you there. Or don't even bother showing up."  
  
"So are you going to..." But Sasari and her lackey, Raven, were gone, like they were never there to begin with.  
  
"Well, let's get a move on," Mileena said taking the scanner. She looked at it then pointed behind Paiyako.  
"We need to go that way." She began to walk in that direction. Paiyako huffed then followed her.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro Anaka looked around the quarters he was given. It was a normal crew quarters. It had a bed, dresser, desk, and   
closet. That's all it had, Koshiro had nothing with him, no clothes, no possessions, nothing. Just the clothes he was   
wearing.  
  
"I know they're not much, but they should provide you with what you need," Lee said from the doorway.  
  
"Don't worry, I won't be here for long. After I meet your bosses, I'm out of here."  
  
Lee turned away from him. "That's too bad," she said quietly.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Lee turned back towards him. "I... I mean that the Gundam would be a great assett against the AMEC's Zakus."  
  
"Yeah, well, you can always make more."  
  
"Maybe..."  
  
"Koshiro!" It was Henry Kozuko, the chief engineer. He had a flight helmet with a full visor in his hand. "I got a  
gift for you."  
  
"What's this?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"Your view screen. Remember that wire that came down for the ceiling? Well..." Henry pointed to a hole on the back of the  
helmet. "That goes into this. Once that happens, the visor will become blue and the images taken from the optical core  
of the Gundam and transmit them directly into your retina. In short, it'll be like you're looking through the Gundam's   
eyes."  
  
"Thanks. Now I can see where I'm going."  
  
"All bridge crew please report to duty," came the voice of helmswoman Muro Okawa.  
  
"Time to get back to work," Henry said shrugging. He left.  
  
Lee turned to leave but turned her head back to him. "Are you coming?"  
  
"I don't know, I mean I'm not exactly a crew member."  
  
"Will Koshiro Anaka please report to the bridge," Muro's voice came on again over the loudspeaker.  
  
"I guess that takes care of that." Koshiro and Lee headed for the bridge.  
  
On the bridge, Commander Noah Lucas' head darted between Muro and tatical chief Shinji Katzuhito. Henry, Lee, and Koshiro  
came in during the middle of a conversation.  
  
"Still there?" Lucas asked.  
  
"Yes, sir," confirmed Shinji.  
  
"Muro, slight rotation, fifteen degrees."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"No good, still there."  
  
"What's wrong?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"The MPs are being slightly distorted. The only way this could be happen is if a ship is trying to match its  
distortion with ours," Henry explained. Koshiro looked at him oddly.  
  
"We're being followed," Lucas translated.  
  
"So what do we do?"  
  
"Right now, nothing until we find out who's following us and why. I don't want to do anything that would give us  
away to AMEC."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
However, it was too late. The ship that was following them was the Zeon. They've been trailing them from the  
mountain range that the Gundams were found in.  
  
"Think they're onto us?" Captain Garrett asked Rashad.  
  
"Probably, but they don't want us to know that they know."  
  
"Well, let them know that we know. Open up fire!" The Zeon fired their weapons at the rear of the Exalon.  
  
The Earth Federation flagship shook from the assault. Then again as the Zeon bombarded them heavily.  
  
Lucas cursed. "Shinji, are ANY of our weapons fixed yet?"  
  
"No, sir, they were pretty devastated in the last battle."  
  
"Great, now we have no way to defend ourselves. Looks like we'll have to make a run for it. Muro, full speed!"  
  
"We're already at maximum power output, Commander. Any more and she'll shut down." This wasn't good. They were at  
peak output and the Zeon was still catching up to them.  
  
Lucas slammed his fist down on the arm rest of his chair. "Don't we have any defense?"  
  
"Wait," Koshiro called. He stepped forward and went to face the Commander directly. "I'll do it, I'll defend you."  
  
"Why would you want to help us?"  
  
"Well if you're destroyed then I'm destroyed as well." Lucas knew that there was another reason but Koshiro obviously  
wasn't going to tell him. Instead, Lucas picked up his phone. "Cargo Bay, this is the Bridge, prepare the Gundam for  
launch. Muro, get ready to land."  
  
"Land where?" Muro asked.  
  
"There's a clearing ten miles to the west," Victor reported. "We can make our stand there."  
  
"I hope you don't mean our last stand," Tasha muttered from her station behind Victor's. Then grunted as the ship was  
struck again.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Hey, did you hear that?" Paiyako asked. "Sounds like some sort of explosion."  
  
"Probably just thunder," Mileena said studying the GPS. She looked at the rock cliff that stood before them. "Looks like  
we'll have to climb this thing if we want to continue."  
  
"Can't we just find a way around it?" Paiyako asked.  
  
"We could, but it could take days to find a route around." Mileena adjusted the range to include wide areas. "And we don't  
have days. Come on."  
  
Paiyako moaned. "I was never good at gym." She gripped onto the jagged wall and began to pullherself up. Mileena was  
scaling it like it was second nature to her. Paiyako figured it was all that military training.  
  
Mileena must have sensed her discomfort because she said, "You better be careful, you won't have your Mobile Suit to save   
you."  
  
"For the last time, I don't have a Mobile Suit, I don't even know what a Mobile Suit is!"  
  
"Fine, if you want to be that way."  
  
"Don't forget, you attacked us."  
  
"AMEC attacked you."  
  
"Which you are a part of."  
  
Mileena huffed. "Not any more. My comrades abandoned me. Apparently they no longer consider me fit to work with them."  
  
"So why don't you join the Earth Federation?"  
  
Mileena turned to look down at her so fast that she almost lost her footing. "I may not be partof the army but I would   
never join forces with the Earth Federation. Like I told that other kid. They are my sworn enemy."  
  
Paiyako wondered what other kid she was talking about.  
  
They were now almost at the top. Obviously Mileena got there first. Paiyako was about to reach there when the edge her  
hand was on fell away and Paiyako found herself dangling by one arm.  
  
"Help!" She pleaded. "Somebody help me." A hand reached down and grabbed her wrist. Paiyako felt herself being pulled   
up. Mileena withdrew a step as she brought the younger girl to her feet.  
  
Mileena stood there, panting for breath. "Thank... you."  
  
Mileena simply turned away. "I didn't do it out of kindness. You're my ticket to joining the Terran Alliance."  
  
Paiyako scowled but continued to follow her.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon had finally managed to escape the Zeon thanks to some fancy flying from Muro. They were now preparing their  
counterattack.  
  
Koshiro sat back in the seat of the Gundam. The helmet felt a little big on him but if it was his vision to the  
outside world, then size didn't matter.  
  
"Koshiro, get ready." Lee's voice came from the speaker inside the helmet. "We're going to land soon. AMEC will  
likely attack the moment you stick your head out so watch out for anything."  
  
"Right." Koshiro moved his right hand close to the beam shield activation button while his other hand touched a small stud  
on the helmet. "Helmet Interface System activated." A wire lowered from the top and plugged into the back of the helmet.  
The visor turned an indigo color. Koshiro strained to make an image out but all he could see was blue static like a  
television that was on the fritz.  
  
"Koshiro, Henry says to relax," Lee reported. "Let the images come to you." Without asking how she knew what he was   
thinking, Koshiro closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he was staring at the inside of the Exalon's  
cargo bay.  
  
"I'm receiving an image," he told Lee.  
  
"Koshiro, Henry asked me to tell you to try moving your head left and right." Koshiro did so and saw his vision pan  
left and right.  
  
"Why am I doing this?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"To test the link. The movements of your head correspond with the movements of the Gundam's head. So whatever  
position you move your head in, the Gundam's head will move that exact same way."  
  
"Wow, it's like I'm the Gundam instead of its operator."  
  
"All right, we're opening the hatch." Koshiro braced as the hatch lowered to form a ramp.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon's movements were being tracked carefully by the Zeon. They intentionally allowed the Exalon to get away so  
they could corner them later. Captain Garrett sat in his command chair pondering. To the side, Ben Hoshum, the Dark  
Messiah, yawned.  
  
"Bored, Dark Messiah?" Garrett asked.  
  
"Yeah. When are we going to go attack the Federation Flagship?"  
  
"Patience, my young friend. We're still waiting for all the players of this little drama to appear."  
  
"Who cares who we have to wait for? Let's just destroy them!"  
  
"Be patient."  
  
"Don't tell me to..."  
  
"Sensing movement," Rashad called from an observation consol. Garrett and Hoshum came over to his consol. They saw the  
cargo bay hatch lower open.  
  
"There he is. All right, Hoshum, now you may go out."  
  
"About time." And before you could say Zaku, Hoshum was heading for his special Mobile Suit, Archangel.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Paiyako and Mileena continued their trek towards the base of Sasari Mei and the Terran Alliance. The sun was just beginning  
to lower. Along the way they came upon another obsticle: a deep chasm. Mileena checked the GPS while Paiyako scanned the  
crevice with her eyes.  
  
"No way around this one," she reported.  
  
"There's a bridge over there." Paiyako pointed to a rope bridge that extended across the chasm. "Good, no climbing."   
Paiyako went over to the bridge and tested it by stomping on it with her foot. It wiggled a little but seemed to be all  
right. "Looks stern, but maybe we should cross one at a time. Since I'm the lightest, I'll go first." Paiyako carefully  
went across the bridge. She got to the other side unharmed. "Come on!"  
  
But Mileena could only stare down at the cliff. It looked like it was a fifty foot drop, maybe even more. Even worse, there  
was a rushing river at the bottom. Even worse, she was scared of heights.  
  
"Come on, cross!" Paiyako repeated.  
  
"I... I can't. I... can't move."  
  
"Just don't look down."  
  
"A little too late for that."  
  
"Oh brother," Paiyako groaned. She went back across and stared at Mileena with a 'what am I going to do with you?' looks.  
She then took off her bandana and wrapped it around Mileena's eyes.  
  
"Hey, what are you doing?"  
  
"If you can't make yourself not look down, then I'll make you not look down."  
  
"How do I know you won't push me off?"  
  
"In your own words, 'you're my ticket to joining the Terran Alliance.'" Paiyako grabbed the front of Mileena's flight  
suit and began to lead her across. {So far, she hasn't tried to backstab me,} Paiyako thought to herself.  
{But she still thinks I'm part of the Earth Federation. She'll probably attack me the moment Sasari Mei allows her into   
the Terran Alliance.}  
  
Paiyako's pondering was interrupted by a loud creaking. Their combined weight was straining the bridge.  
  
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Paiyako commented just as the bridge gave away and they both fell into the river.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Here they come!" Lee warned. Koshiro looked up to see the robot he fought earlier descend from the sky along with  
five Zakus.  
  
"Don't give them a chance to attack," Commander Lucas instructed. Koshiro nodded as the Gundam rushed forward and punched one of the Zakus in the face. He then grabbed the Zaku's arm and twirled him into one of his comrades. He assaulted a third with his vulcan cannons. That Zaku blocked it with his arm the counter-attacked with his machine gun.  
  
"Beam Shield!" Koshiro commanded. A blue energy shield came on on the right forearm. He used it to deflect the  
bullets.  
  
"Stand back, you morons," Ben called to the Zakus. "He's mine." Archangel drew a metal pole. The metal pole extended to  
a double-edge spear. The Gundam also took out a metal pole, the energy sword (Commander Lucas said it was called a  
Beam Saber) and ignited it. Archangel swung one end of the spear which the Gundam blocked with the Beam Saber.  
Archangel came at him from the other side with the other end. The Gundam raised the Beam Shield to block that.  
  
"Fool, he shouldn't have opened himself up like that," Hoshum commented. Suddenly two cannon barrels popped up from the  
shoulders and fired. The Gundam fell back. Archangel fired the cannons again. The Gundam turned and caught the blast  
in the back.  
  
{I can't do this,} Koshiro thought. {Maybe I should just yield. It's not like I have any real alleigence to the Earth  
Federation. It would just be easier to give up.}   
  
[Don't give up, Koshiro.] Completely out of left field, Koshiro experienced a flashback. It was two years ago. He went  
with Paiyako and the rest of their class to a survival camp. He was trying to cross a rope bridge that hung thirty feet  
in the air. His leg slipped and he almost fell off. He looked down at Paiyako who was holding his suspension cord.  
  
[I can't do this, Paiyako,] young Koshiro said. [I should just give up.]  
  
[Don't give up, Koshiro,] Paiyako called. [Never give up, even when things seem hopeless. You can do it, just believe in  
yourself, believe in your heart, and you can do anything.] At the time, it sounded corny to Koshiro but now, he understood  
that that was the most sound advice he ever got.  
  
"I can't give up!" He called out loud. "I won't give up! I promised I would protect the Exalon and that's what I'll do.  
Besides, it's the right thing to do."  
  
Those four words: the right thing to do.  
  
That was why he was helping the Exalon, why he agreed to come with them to the Earth Federation headquarters,   
because it was the right thing to do.  
  
"Hey idiots, instead of gaping with your mouths open, you could try attacking the Earth Federation Flagship." The Zakus  
took out their hand weapons and charged the Exalon.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Koshiro cried as he activated his booster jets.  
  
"You're not going anywhere, Mobile Suit." The spike cables came out and wrapped around the Gundam's legs. The Gundam  
was thrown to the ground.  
  
"No... have to protect... the... Exalon... have to..." Suddenly the Gundam threw the Beam Saber. It twirled around and   
sliced Rashad's Zaku in half. The Gundam followed through with its vulcan cannons. It caught a Zaku in the mono eye  
and it fell as well. The Gundam turned and pulled on the cables with all his might. Archangel began being dragged towards  
the Gundam. The cables came apart from Archangel's body. The Gundam threw them off and took out another beam saber.  
Igniting it, it leaped up and got the remaining Zakus in one incredible slice. He then turned on Archangel. Archangel   
blocked the Gundam's initial attack but it was clearly showing signs of fatigue despite the fact that it was a machine.  
  
"It's over!" Koshiro declared and leaped into the air and kicked Archangel in the head. The large Mobile Suit fell.  
  
Ben scowled at the Gundam. "This isn't over yet, Mobile Suit." Archangel took off again. Koshiro sighed. He did it, he   
beat them.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Paiyako moaned and opened her eyes. She was laying on her chest, left arm over her head, right arm down at her side.  
She coughed up sand and water (thankfully, not yesterday's lunch) and pulled herself onto her knees. She looked around.  
She was on a beach, half of her body was still in the water. Her bandanna was around her left arm. She reached to take  
it off.  
  
"I wouldn't do that. Your arm was seriously bruised in the fall. That's probably the only thing keeping it from becoming  
infected." It was Mileena. She was sitting by a small fire that she apparently made herself.  
  
"Thank you," Paiyako said as she sat down next to her. "I'm sorry... I didn't know that the bridge was that weak."  
  
"It's all right. At any rate, you made me conquer my fear of heights."  
  
"I did?"  
  
"Yeah. Of course now I'm afraid of rushing rivers and rickety bridges but not heights." The two women laughed.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Paiyako said, "We obviously didn't get a good first impression on one another. How about we start   
over? Paiyako Mushimi." She held out her hand. "Formerly of Scatterhaven."  
  
Mileena looked at it before she smiled and shook it. "Mileena Uharu, former Zaku pilot."  
  
"Zaku? Is that what you call the giant robot?"  
  
"It's what we all call the giant robots."  
  
"Mileena, look... I don't want to bring up a sensitive subject, but... why do you hate both your teammates and the Earth   
Federation?"  
  
"Well, my teammates abandoned me to the mercy of the Earth Federation flagship and that Feddy Mobile Suit."  
  
"The Federation has a Mobile Suit too?"  
  
"Believe me, I'm just as surprised as you are. We received no intelligence on it."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"I think I know why you hate the Earth Federation, they destroyed your town, right?"  
  
"Yeah, they also killed the only person I cared about, Koshiro."  
  
"The boy who was with you when I first came to your town?"  
  
"Yes, that's right."  
  
"I saw him."  
  
Paiyako grabbed her shoulders and shook her. "Where? How?"  
  
Mileena wanted to tell her that she attempted to kill him but she didn't want to destroy the slowly developing  
friendship between them.  
  
"He... was near the mountain where that Earth Federation flagship was. I was asked to attack it."  
  
"You didn't attack him, did you?"  
  
More lies. "No, I... was in too much of a rage at the Federation flagship to pay attention to anything else."  
  
Paiyako pulled her legs up against her chest. "That does it. I can never forgive what any of them did. I'll pay  
them back for what they did to Koshiro."  
  
"And I'll pay them for what they did to Naram."  
  
"Maybe we could both make them pay. What do you say, a partnership?"  
  
"A partnership? Sure." The two shook hands. "That is, if we could ever find the Terran Alliance's headquarters."  
  
"I lost the scanner on our way down, we might never find it."  
  
"Or it might be right under your nose." Sasari Mei's voice startled them as she dropped from the trees.  
  
"Sasari Mei, what..."  
  
"I've been tailing you two ever since the bridge. I wanted to see if you two could work together. If you couldn't,  
then how could you work with others."  
  
"So now that we've proved that we could, will you lead us to your base?" Paiyako asked.  
  
"Girl, you've been at our base the entire time. This entire region serves as our base of operation. We have two enemies  
to work against here. We need all the room we can get."  
  
"So are we in?" Mileena inquired.  
  
"Yup, you're in." It was then that a low rumble came from all around them. Over head, the Exalon cruised through the sky.  
Paiyako ran forward.  
  
"Federation flagship!" She called out. "You better watch out. When I get my hands on you, Iwill massacre you and   
everything you stand for! So help me God."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
On the Exalon, Koshiro stood in front of Commander Lucas. The other crew members stood at their stations also facing him   
with the exception of Muro at the helm.  
  
"Until our weapons can be repaired, we are at a disadvantage," Commander Lucas addressed. "Koshiro Anaka, you and the   
Mobile Suit Gundam will serve as our line of defense until we get to the Earth Federation Headquarters. Do you accept  
this task?"  
  
Without any hesitaiton, Koshiro nodded. "I do." Behind him, Lee smiled proudly.  
  
"Good. Then, Koshiro Anaka, I hereby recruit you into the army of the Earth Federation and a crewmember of the Exalon.  
You shall be enlisted as the rank of a spcial officer. Your real name shall not be used in battle to prevent the  
information from falling into the hands of our foes. Instead, you will go by an alias. The Gundam Pilot. Your  
immediate superior will be either me or Lieutenant Moshiro. Your secondary task will be the maintenance of the  
Gundam's systems. Do you understand these responsibilities and requirements."  
  
"I do," Koshiro repeated.  
  
Commander Lucas stepped forward, then offered his hand. "Then welcome aboard." Koshiro looked at his hand then shook  
it firmly.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Zeon continues to dog the Exalon. As Koshiro adjusts to his new lot in life, the Terran Alliance begins to design  
their own Mobile Suits using the stolen Gundam blueprints.   
  
Next episode: The Beam Rifle.   
  
You haven't seen anything yet. 


	7. The Beam Rifle

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The calendar of the Universal Century has reached the year 300. The Earth has fallen into a state of disarray due to a  
war against an organization of countries who are seeking total world domination. Even though the Earth Federation has  
numbers on their side, they are being overwhelmed by the battle-hardened soldiers of the Alliance of Middle-Eastern  
Countries. This is because they had one advantage: strange humanoid machines that could devastate entire platoons  
with a single strafe. To make matters worse, the Colonies have severed all diplomatic and economic ties.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Paiyako discovered the hiding place of the Terran Alliance. Sasari Mei, the Dark Scorpion, agreed to let her in if she  
and Mileena, a former Zaku pilot, could get to their base together. The two were distrustful of each other at first  
but eventually they accepted each other as allies. Meanwhile, the Zeon attacked the Exalon and Koshiro used the Gundam  
to save it from Ben Hoshum, the Dark Messiah and his Mobile Suit, Archangel. Koshiro agreed to become a member of the   
Exalon crew.  
  
[Title: The Beam Rifle]  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The headquarters of the Terran Alliance was a series of underground caverns that ran underneath the Cursor Valley and  
surrounding mountains. The caves were made naturally but the Terran Alliance managed to convert them into a  
command center.  
  
The entrance was actually a hallowed-out tree stump. Underneath was an elevator. It was here where Sasari Mei, leader   
of the Terran Alliance brought Paiyako Mushimi and Mileena Uharu.  
  
"These Mobile Suits are going to become quite the problem for us if we don't do something about it," Sasari commented  
to her two new recruits. "So we must even the playing field."  
  
"And how are we going to do that?" Paiyako asked. "You can't destroy all the Zakus and I doubt that Federation Mobile  
Suit is going to go down without a fight."  
  
"You're right," Sasari agreed. "Which means we need Mobile Suits of our own."  
  
"In Paiyako's words, how are we going to do that?"  
  
"With this." Sasari held up a CD-ROM she had tucked within the collar of her pants. She went over to the computer consol  
that Hacker, the man who first spotted Paiyako, was at. "Hack, read this."  
  
"You got it, Chief," Hacker replied. He inserted the disk. Diagrams began coming on the screen.  
  
Mileena recognized the shape. "Hey, that's the Mobile Suit that attacked me."  
  
"What do you say, Hacker, could we get our hands on one of these things."  
  
"I doubt it," Hacker replied. "According to this data, there was only one of these ever produced. However, we might be  
able to make our own."  
  
"Is that possible?" Paiyako questioned.  
  
"Unfortunately, some of these parts can't be duplicated, so..." Hacker made some modifications to the diagram. The end   
product was a slightly shorter squatty version of the Gundam with a large cannon attached to the shoulder and ran down  
the right arm. "Behold, our new weapon against the Earth Federation and the Desert Dictators."  
  
"That's amazing," Mileena commented. "So how do we produce these things? It must've taken the Feddies years to produce   
even one of these things."  
  
Sasari turned to her two new recruits. "What you are about to hear is top secret, okay? We actually have a production   
facility on the moon. It's how we're able to produce all this technology."  
  
"So you're accepting help from the Colonies?" Paiyako accused.  
  
"You could say that. The Colonies are just as upset at this war as we are."  
  
"So all we have to do is get these plans to the Moonbase Facility and we're all set," Sasari said.  
  
"There is one problem," Hacker spoke up. "The time. Even with the Moonbase Facility, we wouldn't have enough time to  
produce one for all of us. They might be able to produce three in a month but that's it."  
  
Sasari looked at Paiyako and Mileena. "Are you two fast learners? Because you need to learn how to operate a Mobile  
Suit in a month."  
  
"I am," Paiyako voiced.  
  
Mileena joined in, "I already know how."  
  
"Then it looks like it'll be us three. Hacker, send the data."  
  
"Roger. Data sending now."  
  
"So what do we do now?" Paiyako asked.  
  
"For the time being, we'll have to perform raids on the Earth Federation and the Desert Dictators."  
  
"Let's get after that Earth Federation ship that attacked Scatterhaven."  
  
"Sounds like an idea to me."  
  
"All right, ladies, here's what we'll do..."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro Anaka sat at the computer screen staring intently at the display. He was trying to learn everything he could  
about the Gundam. The knowledge of a weapon could mean the difference between life and death, Commander Lucas  
would say.  
  
"Okay, let's see... the beam shield channels minovsky particles... what are those? Into condensed form. The balance must  
be set at 95% exactly. To go to 100% would mean that the generators would overload resulting in destruction of the right   
arm. The servo circuits for the feet are tied in with the reception buffers of the cockpit so the pilot must maintain  
balance..." Koshiro pulled absent-mindedly on the collar of the blue and white uniform he wore. He would never get  
used to being an officer.  
  
There was a knock on the door. "Come in," he called. Henry Kozuko, chief engineer walked in.  
  
"Hey Koshiro, wanna take a break from the studying? Me and some of the others have a little surprise for you."  
  
"Uh-oh, I don't like surprises very much, Henry."  
  
"Don't worry, this one you'll like, come on."  
  
"Whoa!" Koshiro gasped as he and Henry walked into the launch bay. Lee and some of the others stood in front of the  
Gundam, which has been painted. The main body and shoulders were blue. Yellow trim was along the two vents on the   
chest. The hip region had red around it. Red also covered the bottom of the feet and a red stripe ran all the way   
around the wrist. The area that the eyes were in and the Gundam's "chin" was also painted red. The hands were painted   
black. The RX-83 logo on the armband was replaced with the words "B-Gundam."  
  
"B-Gundam?" Koshiro asked Henry.  
  
"Since most of the Gundam's weapons are beam powered, I thought it was only fitting that we title this one the Beam   
Gundam or B-Gundam for short. If you want to change the name, go right ahead."  
  
"No, B-Gundam sounds fine."  
  
"We also have another gift for you," Lee said. She handed Koshiro a garmet. It was a whitejumpsuit with patches of red   
around it. Koshiro unfolded it and saw that the red patches made it seem like there was a white 'G' on it.  
  
"What's this for?"  
  
"For when you go into battle, Einstein," Lee cracked. "You don't really expect to go into battle wearing a formal  
uniform, do you?"  
  
"Try it on," one of the engineering officers said.  
  
"Don't worry, Koshiro, it fits over your general uniform. Just take off your jacket and boots."  
  
Koshiro complied and pulled himself into the Jumpsuit.  
  
"How does it feel?" Lee asked trying to keep from chuckling.  
  
"Well, it's a little tight," Koshiro said moving his body to check it out. "But I think I'll..." As Koshiro bent over,  
he heard a ripping sound coming from the seat of the jumpsuit. He realized that it was torn in that place. Good thing he  
was wearing his uniform pants otherwise he would've really been embarrassed.  
  
"I guess it needs some letting out," Lee said between fits of laughter.  
  
"You think?" Koshiro asked sarcastically as he took it off.  
  
"Don't worry, I can have Muro adjust it."  
  
"Muro made this?"  
  
"We also have something else to show you," Henry chimed. He grabbed Koshiro's arm and began to drag him into the other  
cargo bay.  
  
"Whoa, what's this all of a sudden? My birthday's not until Saturday."  
  
"Consider this an early birthday present," Lee said as she grabbed Koshiro's other arm.  
  
"Hey! At least let me put my boots back on!" Koshiro redonned his uniform and allowed Lee and Henry to lead him to the  
other cargo bay.  
  
Koshiro couldn't believe his eyes. Besides the other Mobile Suit, several types of Gundam-size weapons were hung up along  
the wall. A rifle, a bazooka, mace, even a set of armor.  
  
"We found it while we were checking out the Earth Federation facility where the Gundams were stored," Henry explained.  
  
"This'll make the B-Gundam really strong."  
  
"It'll have to be. Zakus aren't the only card AMEC has."  
  
"All senior staff report to the briefing room immediately," came the voice of Commander Noah Lucas.  
  
Lee, Koshiro, and Henry all took off towards the briefing room.  
  
The three arrived. Commander Lucas, security chief Shinji Katzumoto, and Tasha Benson were already there. The others,  
Victor Lenard and helm operator Muro Okawa came in two seconds after the others arrived.  
  
"Good, everyone's here," Commander Lucas noticed. "Let's begin." On the floor, a 3-D map of the surrounding area   
appeared. A red dot was shown moving through an orange area. A blue area was in the upper left corner of the screen.  
  
Commander Lucas took out a laser pointer and highlighted the red dot. "This is us." He then circled the area around  
the red dot. He moved it to the blue area. "We're currently heading northeast from the Cobian Valley. Because of our  
current altitude, our only route out of the valley would be through this crevice."  
  
"Do you expect AMEC to set a trap?" Muro asked.  
  
"They wouldn't be able to resist such an opportunity."  
  
"So we should find another way out," Koshiro deduced.  
  
"No."  
  
"No?" Most of the others asked.  
  
"They know that we know about it so they expect us to try to run. But we're going to spring a trap of our own.  
Koshiro will take the Gundam..."  
  
"B-Gundam," Henry corrected. Lucas stared at him oddly. "We decided to title it 'Beam Gundam' or B-Gundam for short."  
  
"Okay," Lucas said like he really didn't know what to say. "The B-Gundam will go on ahead and take a perch on the left   
side of the mountain. There, it'll wait. In the mean time, we'll go through ahead. When AMEC go through the crevice,  
the B-Gundam will use the Beam Rifle to start a landslide right in front of them. They'll be either forced to withdraw  
back into the valley where they'll be trapped, or they'll be forced to go forward where they'll be assaulted by rocks."  
  
"We'll only have a short period of time," Victor said. "Any hesitation would resort in them safely withdrawing."  
  
Commander Lucas nodded and turned to Koshiro. "Gundam Pilot, you have five hours to learn how to operate a beam rifle.  
Do you think you can do it?"  
  
"I'll have to."  
  
"Good, our mission time is 1600. Gundam Pilot, I want you to start training immediately!"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Meanwhile, another group was also preparing a plan of attack. Sasari Mei was about to begin her briefing on their plan  
of attack for the Exalon.  
  
"The Earth Federation Flagship is trying to leave the valley. They'll be most vulnerable when they pass through the   
crevice and that's when we'll attack. We'll install explosives along the engines of it then detonate them by remote.  
The chain reaction that will result will take out the Flagship and trap the Zeon in the valley."  
  
"Excuse me, ma'am," a soldier spoke up. "But what's preventing them from just gaining higher altitude and escaping?"  
  
"Our spies have informed us that the Earth Federation has set up a sensor net around the area. Any attempt to gain higher  
would eventually trigger it and that's something the Desert Dictators don't need. Now, we need a team to plant the  
detonators. Any volunteers please stand."  
  
Of the assembled 50 or so members, only 20 stood. 2 of those 20 were Mileena and Paiyako.  
  
"Okay, you who are standing will come with me, the rest of you will be decoys for the Flagship."  
  
As the chosen ones left to get their gear, Mileena noticed that Paiyako seemed a little nervous. She realized that the   
younger girl wasn't accustomed to such a fierce mission, unlike her, an experienced trained soldier.  
  
"Relax, Paiyako," Mileena assured her new friend. "It'll be all right."  
  
"I hope so. I don't want to be killed on my first mission."  
  
"Just remember why you're doing this and you'll do fine." Mileena lowered her head. "That's what my instructor at the  
academy used to say." Now it was Mileena who was down.  
  
Mileena, Paiyako, and the others arrived at the armory. A table was spread out with a bunch of circular mine-like  
devices about the size of a hubcap.  
  
One of the others who volunteered picked up one of them. "Hey, these things aren't made of metal."  
  
"That's right," Sasari said. "Our spies report that the Flagship's scanners can detect anything metallic. These explosives  
are encased in plastic and can be held together by sticky putty. Primative I know, but effective. Everybody gets three.  
And Fredrick, no buy-offs." She gave a rather portly soldier a sly wink that caused laughter from some of the others.  
  
Once they had their explosives, Sasari led them into their vehicle bay. The vehicles that stood in a row looked like  
motorcycles but had verticle fans on bottom of them.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, these are your Core Cycles. They have minimum weapons, their top speeds are only 98 mph, so use  
their power wisely."  
  
Paiyako began looking around for a Core Cycle when Sasari put a hand on her shoulder. "Hold on a minute, Paiyako." She   
threw an olive green button-down shirt and pants to Paiyako. "We don't want you sticking out here." Paiyako ducked into  
a closet and took off her sweater and T-shirt, the clothes she had been wearing ever since Scatterhaven was destroyed.  
When she came out, she was dressed in an outfit much like Mileena except hers had no sleeves.  
  
"It's one of my old uniforms," Sasari explained. "The sleeves were torn up. Earth Federation mistook me for a bull's eye.  
Luckily they were poor shots. Look at you, you look like a female Rambo. Now mount up, we're moving out."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Lee came into the loading bay where Koshiro, Henry, and Shinji were. Henry and Shinji had set up a virtual targeting   
program within the B-Gundam and Koshiro was trying it out.  
  
"How's it going?" She asked as she walked onto the catwalk in front of the B-Gundam.  
  
"Take a look for yourself," Koshiro replied allowing her into the cockpit. He took off the interface helmet he wore and put  
it on her. Lee saw a virtual Zaku with multiple red spots on the arms and legs. A lot more red spots were in the   
background.  
  
"He's improving," Shinji commented. "But he still has ways to go."  
  
"All right," Koshiro said rubbing his eyes. "Reset the program, let's start over."  
  
"No time I'm afraid," Lee said taking off the helmet. "Commander Lucas wants to see Koshiro immediately."  
  
When Koshiro and Lee arrived on the bridge, Commander Lucas was standing by the window.  
  
Commander Lucas pointed outside to where a crack in the ever expanding mountains was approaching. "You'll take up   
position against the hill on the left mountain."  
  
"What about the AMEC ship?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"They're behind us," Tasha Benson reported. "They're staring right up our engine hole."  
  
"Good. Koshiro, we'll launch the B-Gundam now. Move forward through the underbrush and take up position. We'll continue   
on."  
  
Koshiro nodded and ran to the B-Gundam. In the locker room, he discovered the flight suit.  
  
"I sure hope Muro let it out," Koshiro said as he took off his uniform shirt and boots. He pulled it on, then bent over.  
It held. Koshiro grabbed his interface helmet and ran to the B-Gundam. The B-Gundam lowered its hand and Koshiro rode  
it up to the cockpit located in its chest. The chest hatch was closed and the control panel raised from its resting  
place below the chair.  
  
"Activating Helmet Interface System." The wire lowered and hooked into the back of the helmet. The visor turned blue.  
Koshiro found this interface a lot easier to handle than the first one.  
  
"Ready the beam rifle," came the voice over his helmet's comm link. To the B-Gundam's left was a large gun with a long   
barrel. The B-Gundam picked it up and held it in both hands. The B-Gundam then got down on one knee.  
  
"Beam Gundam ready for launch," Koshiro announced.  
  
"Acknowledge," said Lee from the bridge. "Launching Beam Gundam." Koshiro was thrown back in his seat as the B-Gundam  
was shot out of the launch bay like a rocket. It rolled forward and landed on the ground.  
  
"Confirmed touchdown," Victor announced.  
  
"Gundam Pilot, report your status," Lee ordered. A wretching sound came back at her as she stuffled a chuckle.  
  
Finally, a weak voice came back, "I'm fine, the sudden acceleration surprised me but it's all right now."  
  
"Any of the circuitry damaged?" Lee asked.  
  
"No. Although I wish I could say the same thing for the seat cover."  
  
"We're going to have to terminate communication soon so hurry to the spot before you're spotted."  
  
"Right." The B-Gundam began jogging through the forest. Soon, it came to the foot of the mountain. It began climbing.  
Soon, it found an indentation in the mountain big enough for it to sit down. "This is Gundam Pilot, I've reached the  
designated spot and have taken position."  
  
"Acknowledge. Good luck. On my countdown, switch off all systems except for weapons and scanners. Five, four, three,  
two, one. Terminate designate systems now." The cockpit's lights went dark. The blue visor became red. Koshiro was  
worried, he didn't have communications or movement so he couldn't get away or call for help. He had to make every  
shot count.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
On the bridge, Tasha looked over Victor's shoulder at his control panel. Victor, even without looking, knew something was   
bothering his partner.  
  
"Don't worry," he said to her. "I'm sure it's just the AMEC."  
  
"I don't think so, not unless they have over 20 small Zakus."  
  
"I read 'ya. Commander, we have company."  
  
"The AMEC," Lucas assumed. "Prepare to move through the crevice."  
  
"No, sir, it's not," Tasha rebutted. "There are 20 small craft heading this way."  
  
Outside, the Terran Alliance raced towards the Exalon.  
  
"All right everybody," Sasari Mei called. "Let's make these bastaards pay for what they did to Scatterhaven. Move in now!"  
  
Commander Lucas had activated his virtual glasses system and was watching them. "Damn! What do they think they're doing? Shinji, are ANY of our weapons fixed yet?"  
  
"Negative, sir."  
  
"Then have crew members take sidearms and attack them personally. We can't have them risking our plan."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
While this chaos was brewing, the Zeon was slowly approaching the Exalon's location.  
  
Captain Garrett sat in his command chair looking over an intelligence report.  
  
"Sir, sensors are detecting the Pegasus-Class right ahead of us, sir. Shall we ready weapons?"  
  
Garrett looked out the view window and saw the Exalon being swarmed by the Terran Alliance.  
  
"Interesting. Are they blocking our way?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Ben Hoshum, the Dark Messiah stepped up to his side. "Are they allies of the Pegasus-Class?"  
  
"Who knows, who cares?" Garrett came back. The Dark Messiah looked at the Captain like he was crazy. How could anybody  
have any disregard for human life, even the enemy's?  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Zeon opened fire with machine turrets. Core Cycles began falling out of the sky.  
  
"AMEC!" Hacker realized just before his Core Cycle got hit.  
  
"Everybody, stay close to the Earth Federation Flagship," Sasari ordered.  
  
Paiyako was scared more than she ever had been scared before. Maybe this was a bad idea, maybe she should've helped   
the survivors of the Scatterhaven destruction to a safe place rather than go off half-cocked.  
  
Then she remembered Mileena's words, or rather the words of Mileena's instructor. [Just remember why you're doing this...]  
  
Koshiro.  
  
Koshiro, the friend she knew all her life, who was like her right side, the boy she loved.  
  
The boy who was brutally murdered by the Desert Dictators.  
  
Paiyako made her Core Cycle do a U-turn and blitzed towards the Zeon.  
  
"What's that girl doing?" Sasari asked.  
  
"She's reminding herself why she chose to join the Terran Alliance in the first place," Mileena told her. {Good luck,  
kid,} she thought.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro watched this all from his hiding spot.  
  
"Those Cycles will send our plan down the tubes," Koshiro said to himself. A hint of red caught his eye. One of the cycles  
was pulling away from the others and heading towards the AMECship.  
  
"That pilot's crazy. Who is it?" Koshiro positioned the telescopic targeting lens on the Beam Rifle and zoomed in on  
Paiyako's image.  
  
"What?... Paiyako?" Koshiro was flabbergasted. The rider left the range of the telescopic lens. Koshiro quickly reset  
the lens' magnification and moved it until it focused on the rider again then he zoomed in again.  
  
Yes, there was no doubt about it now, that was Paiyako riding that cycle.  
  
Koshiro couldn't believe it. For as long as he known her, she never was the gung-ho type. But now she was going to attack  
the AMEC ship single-handedly.  
  
"Paiyako, no!" Koshiro cried forgetting that his communicator was turned off.  
  
"Take this, you murderers!" Paiyako cried as she threw her first charge. It landed on the view window. She took her   
second charge and threw it at one of the gun turrets. The gun turret destroyed it before it could contact with its target.  
Paiyako took her third charge and flew around to one of the intake vents and threw it. It connected. The control to her   
charges was hooked up to her Core Cycle. She activated it now.  
  
The bridge window exploded inward. Shards of glass fell on everyone. One of the control operators was thrown back in his   
seat. He fell over, blood spewing from his face and chest. Captain Garrett himself had a scratch on his forehead, but the   
part of him that was wounded the most was his pride.  
  
"All guns, shoot down that Core Cycle on the double!" Immediately all the guns converged on Paiyako.  
  
"Paiyako, no!" Koshiro shouted. Without thinking, he fired the beam rifle. A yellow beam of energy came out of the   
barrel. It flew closely by Paiyako's Core Cycle and struck the gun turret that destroyed Paiyako's second charge.  
  
"What was that?" Ben Hoshum asked.  
  
"The Earth Federation must've set this all up as a trap," Garrett concluded.  
  
The close proximity of the beam overheated the engine on Paiyako's Core Cycle and it exploded. Paiyako began tumbling  
downward.  
  
"NNNOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Koshiro shouted at the top of his lungs. He quickly powered up and burst out of his hiding place.  
Leaving the Beam Rifle, the B-Gundam held out its hands and caught Paiyako in them.  
  
"That's the Federation Mobile Suit," Garrett realized. "Ben, get to your own Mobile Suit now!"  
  
"Right."  
  
"That idiot," Commander Lucas cursed. "What does he think he's doing?"  
  
Paiyako could only stare at the glowing green eyes of the B-Gundam in fright as it held her. Koshiro, in return, stared at   
her. How he wanted to reach out to her, to feel her close to him, to assure her that he was all right, but he couldn't.  
He knew that if he did, Paiyako would never forgive him for siding with the same people who destroyed their hometown.  
He could only whisper "I'm sorry."  
  
Koshiro then heard several small pings, like rain hitting a tin roof. It was Sasari Mei and someothers. The probably   
thought that he was taking Paiyako for a hostige. At the same time, the lower hatch of the AMEC ship opened and the  
same Mobile Suit that Koshiro fought before flew out carrying its metal spear. Koshiro didn't want Paiyako to be  
caught up in the frenzy so he gently lowered his hand as close to the ground as he could. Paiyako jumped down.  
  
Before running off, she saw the writing on the B-Gundam's bicep.  
  
"B-Gundam. Don't think this changes anything, I'll still destroy you. Wait until I get a Mobile Suit of my own then you   
won't stand a chance against me!" Sasari Mei pulled up next to her and Paiyako hopped on. The Core Cycle took off.  
  
Koshiro watched them disappear into the sky. That blinded him to Ben's charge. The B-Gundam fell to the side and came  
face-to-face with the beam rifle. The B-Gundam turned so that its back was covered, so that the enemy Mobile Suit  
wouldn't see it.  
  
Ben sneered to himself. "Hmph, Federation Mobile Suit, I thought you would be a little more of a challenge. I guess last   
time was just beginner's luck."  
  
"You think you got me?" Koshiro said. As quickly as he could, he turned the B-Gundam overpicking up the beam rifle and   
firing it. Ben quickly pulled back but the blast grazed his mono eye. The view screen shorted out as the glass lens  
of the camera broke.  
  
"Now for your turn," Koshiro said to the Zeon as he took aim. He fired off four shots, all of which missed. "Shinji was   
right, I have a long way to go."  
  
Ben threw his metal spear which knocked the beam rifle from the B-Gundam's hands. It then tackled the Federation Mobile   
Suit sending both Mobile Suits crashing to the ground. The B-Gundam reached to grasp one of its beam sabers but Archangel  
pinned that arm behind the B-Gundam's back. The other arm was laid out but Koshiro knew that it would be impossible   
for him to get to the beam saber.  
  
Suddenly Koshiro's eyes went glossy white as something came to his mind. He pulled back on the control lever half way and  
the B-Gundam elbowed Archangel in the chest.  
  
"What?! I didn't know he could use the Mobile Suit for hand-to-hand combat as well. This pilotmust be very good," Ben   
Hoshum said to himself. The B-Gundam's head turned and fired its Vulcan guns. Although it didn't destroy Archangel,  
it did succeed in distracting it long enough for the B-Gundam to get out from under its grasp and stand up.  
It drew its beam saber and stabbed Archangel in the shoulder.  
  
"I can't believe I've been bested by this Mobile Suit twice," Ben grumbled. He took off back to the Zeon.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro returned to the Exalon. Once he got there, he delivered his report to Commander Lucas. Commander Lucas was   
upset that Koshiro disobeyed orders.  
  
"Koshiro, your orders were to stay out of sight until the AMEC was in between the mountains. You weren't ordered to  
perform any heroics, especially to radicals! Now, because of you, that AMEC ship will continue to dog us."  
  
But Muro set him straight. "Commander, sir, we couldn't have known these radicals would show up. Our plan was doomed to  
fail even before Koshiro fired the first shot."  
  
Commander Lucas sighed. "You're right, Muro. Well, so much for trapping the Desert Dictators."They then noticed that   
Koshiro was in a corner of the bridge staring at the window.  
  
Lee came up to him. "Is something wrong?" She asked matronly.  
  
"No, Lee, nothing's wrong."  
  
But that wasn't the truth. Paiyako Mushimi was now part of the enemy. True she wasn't part of AMEC but the Terran Alliance  
was still an enemy of the Earth Federation. Could he handle it? If he had to go up against Paiyako, would he be able  
to defeat her? This question would roll around in his mind for a while.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Paiyako was also in deep reflection. The Federation Mobile Suit, the B-Gundam, had saved her. It could've just let her   
fall, it wouldn't had made any difference, but it saved her. Why? Why did it save her? For that matter, why was it  
staring at her like she was a precious jewel?  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon stumble across a village whose only survivors are four young children and their guardian, who seems to not be  
surprised at the B-Gundam. When Ben Hoshum attacks, Koshiro must defend both the village and the Exalon.   
  
Next episode: Village of the Damned.   
  
Can innocence be salvaged? 


	8. Village of the Damned

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The calendar of the Universal Century has reached the year 300. The Earth has fallen into a state of disarray due to a  
war against an organization of countries who are seeking total world domination. Even though the Earth Federation has  
numbers on their side, they are being overwhelmed by the battle-hardened soldiers of the Alliance of Middle-Eastern  
Countries. This is because they had one advantage: strange humanoid machines that could devastate entire platoons  
with a single strafe. To make matters worse, the Colonies have severed all diplomatic and economic ties.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon attempted to set a trap for the Desert Dictators, trapping them in the valley. Unfortunately, the Terran   
Alliance interfered by attempting to put charges on the Exalon. Koshiro saw Paiyako attempting to take on the Zeon  
alone and attacked. Paiyako's core cycle was destroyed but she landed in the B-Gundam's hands. Ben Hoshum attacked the  
B-Gundam but Koshiro used the beam rifle to fend him off. Now, both Koshiro and Paiyako are worried. One is afraid  
that he would have to face his friend in battle, the other is worried over the B-Gundam's intentions in saving her.  
  
[Title: Village of the Damned]  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Sasari Mei, head of the Terran Alliance, huddled in a bush with a control. With her were the other participants in the  
semi-successful raid on the Earth Federation Flagship. Despite Paiyako Mushimi's attempt to blow up the AMEC, the  
others managed to fit their charges on various parts of the Earth Federation Flagship.  
  
"Everybody cover your ears," she announced before hitting the button.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Everything was quiet on the Exalon. Koshiro was in the cargo bay working on his virtual targeting program. Everybody else  
was on the bridge at their usual stations. Suddenly, a violent explosion raked the entire ship. It was so violent that  
Tasha fell off her seat and landed on her arm.  
  
"Report," Commander Lucas called out.  
  
"Multiple explosions throughout the ship," Victor reported.  
  
"We're losing speed and altitude," Muro added.  
  
"Cargo bay to bridge," called Koshiro's voice. "What's going on up there?"  
  
"Stand-by," Commander Lucas replied. "We're making an emergency launch of the B-Gundam."  
  
"Roger. Helmet Interface System activated." Gundam Pilot's visor turned blue. The cargobay door opened. The catapult   
flung the B-Gundam outward. Koshiro landed on one knee, an improvement from last time. With scanners set to full,   
Koshiro began to look around. When visual failed, he switched to thermal scan. That focused on the Terran Alliance  
that was hiding in the bushes. "Found you!"  
  
"Sasari, it spotted us," a lookout called out.  
  
"Okay, people, evacuation plan Vega. Paiyako, Mileena, stay with me." Everybody began scrambling for cover. No  
matter what Koshiro tried, he wouldn't be able to catch them all.  
  
"They're scrambling like ants," Koshiro reported to the Exalon crew.  
  
"Forget them, Gundam Pilot," Lucas called out. "The Exalon's safety comes first."  
  
"Roger, returning." The B-Gundam turned and walked away like it was brooding.  
  
Sasari, Paiyako, and Mileena had taken cover at one of the entrances to the Terran Alliance headquarters. Sasari and  
Mileena had already entered the tunnel, but Paiyako peeked out at the retreating B-Gundam. She still wanted to know  
why it saved her, especially since doing so put the both of them at a disadvantage.  
  
"Paiyako, come on," Sasari called back. Paiyako disappeared into the tunnel.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Bad news," Henry said. "We won't be able to make repairs without landing."  
  
"All right. Victor, find a safe place to land."  
  
"I think I already see a place," Muro jumped in. "Forty-five degrees portside." Everybody looked in that direction  
and saw smoke erupting from there. "It might be a village."  
  
"If it is, I don't think they'll be happy when the Flagship of the Earth Federation comes crashing into main street,"  
Shinji cracked.  
  
"Good point," Lucas agreed. "Lee, send a message to the Gundam Pilot. Tell him to scout ahead to see the status of the  
village. In the mean time, Muro try to gain as much altitude as you can to delay our crash until we get to it."  
  
When Koshiro got Lee's message, he acknowledged it. Suddenly the B-Gundam's backpack sprouted wings and the boosters   
fired. The B-Gundam rose until it was even with the Exalon.  
  
"Wow, I didn't know it could fly," Shinji commented.  
  
"Do you think Koshiro can pilot it?" Lee asked Commander Lucas.  
  
"Koshiro has surprised me a lot in the past few days," Lucas replied. "I wouldn't put anything past him."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
She was making dinner when she began to hear it. A low rumble, like a jet engine. Picking up a pair of buinoculars,  
she looked through them. She saw a large humanoid-shape flying machine heading her way.  
  
Something about the humanoid shape triggered a long-forgotten memory, a memory of another humanoid-shape flying   
machine. She remembered it flying in after a battle. She remember how majestic the giant machine looked, even   
during it's most blackest moments.  
  
The children have been around her playing a game. Now they stopped and were looking in the same direction as she was.  
  
"Miss Keela, what's that?" The youngest one asked.  
  
"I'm not sure, Sonya. Better take cover just in case it lands."  
  
"I'm not afraid of them, I'm not afraid of anything," one of the others boasted.  
  
She chuckled, as if she wasn't surprised at the . "Yes, but Sonya is so you gotta take care of her."  
  
"What? I'm not!"  
  
"Just go hide and don't make a sound."  
  
"Aww..." But the children were already shoved into one of the houses that still had a wall. She doused the fire and hid  
the pot. Then she took cover herself.  
  
Koshiro landed the B-Gundam and stepped out.  
  
"I don't believe it," she gasped as she stared at the machine. "A Gundam! After all these years, I never thought I'd see   
one again."  
  
He opened his visor and took out a communicator.  
  
"Gundam Pilot to Exalon, I arrived at the town. Looks in shambles, no sign of visible life. Safe to come in."  
  
"Roger, Gundam Pilot," came Lee's voice. "We're coming in."  
  
Koshiro took off his helmet which was a bad move. Something beamed him in the skull. It was a stone.   
  
She cursed. "What do those children think they're doing?"  
  
More stones began hitting him. He raised his arm to prevent his head from being hit any more and spoke into his   
communicator.  
  
"Exalon, come in, abort landing, I repeat, abort landing! There are hostiles here!"  
  
"Negative, Gundam Pilot, Henry reports that we have to land now or else the engines will explode. You'll have to contain  
the hostiles until we arrive."  
  
"With what? I don't have a gun!"  
  
"What about the B-Gundam?"  
  
"Don't you think that's overkill?"  
  
"Wait," she called stepping out of her hiding place. He saw her and backed up to the B-Gundam. "They don't mean any harm."  
  
Koshiro got a good look at her. She looked to be a little older than him, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She was  
dressed in a pink skirt, white shirt and knee-high boots. She walked past him and over to the house.  
  
"All right, you four, that's enough. Come on out this instant!"  
  
The children came out, all looking disappointed. Sonya, who looked like a young version of herself dressed in an oversize   
pink T-shirt and blue shorts. Christopher, with his mocha-coated skin, black bowl-shaped hair and green overalls.  
Benny, the mute red-head with freckles and an orange vest and blue jeans. And Ray, the auburn-hair wonder and  
probably the mastermind of the stone-throwing exercise.  
  
"Just what did you four think you were doing?"  
  
"But Miss Keela, we didn't make a sound," Ray protested.  
  
"I don't care what you did, you had no right to hit him."  
  
"Yes we did," Sonya said. She stormed up to him and kicked him square in the shins. Even though she was barefoot, it   
still hurt for Koshiro. She retreated behind the other three. "He destroyed our town!"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Sonya! Forgive them, but I guess they have every right to be mad. Their was a battle between the Earth Federation  
and AMEC a few months ago. These children have been nursing a grudge ever since."  
  
"It's all right, I know how they feel. My home town was destroyed by the Earth Federation and AMEC too."  
  
"So why are you in an AMEC robot?" Christopher protested  
  
"This isn't part of the AMEC, it's the Earth Federation's."  
  
"Liar! The Earth Federation doesn't have any giant robots!" Ray said fiercely.  
  
"That's enough. Apologize now!"  
  
"We're sorry we hit you," Sonya, Christopher, and Ray said as they bowed. Benny just bowed but looked really ashamed.  
  
"Um... it's all right."  
  
"Forgive me for not introducing us earlier. This is Sonya, Benny, Christopher, and Ray. My name is Keela Niyoko.  
I've been taking care of these four ever since the battle."  
  
"Aren't there any adults here?" Koshiro asked.  
  
Keela shook her head. "They were all killed. We spent the last month burrying them. The children too." She looked  
over her shoulder at a pile of mounds with sticks drilled into the ground. Obviously, it was meant to be a makeshift   
cemetery. "Might I ask who you are?"  
  
It's Koshiro. Koshiro Anaka. I used to be from Scatterhaven until it was all destroyed."  
  
"So where is your ship?" Sonya asked.  
  
"It's on the way. Don't worry, I'll escort it into a place that won't destroy your graveyard."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
When the Exalon arrived in the airspace around the damaged town, the B-Gundam was waving its beam sabers like signals.  
It instructed the Exalon to set down right on the outskirts. Commander Lucas and Muro stepped out. Koshiro was waiting  
for them along with Keela and the children.  
  
"Everything all right?" Commander Lucas asked noticing the ice-cold cloth on his head.  
  
"I'm fine," Koshiro answered. "Nothing broken, I think."  
  
"Did you take care of the hostilities?"  
  
"More or less," Koshiro said looking down at the children. Commander Lucas and Muro followed his look. Ray was digging  
into the dirt with his foot, Christopher was picking his nose, Benny was staring straight ahead like a zombie, and Sonya  
was staring at the ground like it held all the secrets of the universe.  
  
"How long will the repairs take?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"Henry says it'll take only a few hours. Luckily, nothing vital was damaged beyond repair."  
  
"All right, I'll help."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
On the Zeon, Ben Hoshum was getting chewed out by Captain Garrett.  
  
"That's twice you were beaten by a nobody in a ridiculous-looking Mobile Suit. Perhaps the rumors surrounding the  
Dark Messiah are just that, rumors."  
  
"I haven't had a chance to go up against an expert Mobile Suit pilot yet," Ben protested.  
  
"He shot you once, just once, and you went running like a coward. Dark Messiah my foot, your name should be Dark Chicken."  
  
Ben screamed an outrage then ran out. Captain Garrett smirked. "All he needed was a little push."  
  
Archangel exited the Mobile Suit bay and started flying in the direction where the Exalon was heading, a determined look on   
his face. "I'll show everyone, that Mobile Suit will be destroyed by my hands, then none will question the reputation of  
the Dark Messiah, least of all, an upstart greaseball like Garrett."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The sun was beginning to set over the horizon. Keela made a fire and served a stew to Commander Lucas, Muro, and Tasha,  
who had her arm in a cast. Koshiro was helping the others with repairs and the kids had been put to bed.   
  
"It's been so long since we've seen other humans," Keela was saying. "But they've adapted pretty well."  
  
"Most of them. I noticed Benny seems a little quiet. Is she deaf or...?" Muro realized that it was a rude question to ask.  
  
"She's mute. She used to be such a talker, but after the attack, she just shut up in her own little world. I haven't heard  
her speak in a while. I all but forgot what she sounded like."  
  
"I feel so bad for her," Muro said. "To think, we caused all this."  
  
"We never mean for these incidents to occur," Commander Lucas said. "We already destroyed one town and that's one town  
too many."  
  
"I remember when my home was destroyed," Keela said. "It was so horrible, seeing it float around in pieces."  
  
"Float?" Tasha asked trying to balance her bowl on her lap. "What was your home?"  
  
"A space colony called Side 7."  
  
Tasha dropped her bowl. "Side 7?"  
  
"You're telling me you're from space?" Muro couldn't believe it.  
  
"Why are you so excited, it's not that big of a deal."  
  
"We thought all colonies were wiped out long ago."  
  
"No. Actually, when I came to Earth, I stowed away on a supply shuttle. There were plenty of Colonies left."  
  
"When was this?"  
  
"Let's see... I'm 15 now, so I guess it's been about five years since I left Side 7." Keela found it uncomfortable  
talking about the past so she decided to change the subject. "I suppose you have an AMEC ship trailing you along with  
an ace Mobile Suit pilot."  
  
"Right on the button," Muro confirmed before Lucas could order her to keep her mouth shut.  
  
"That's what I thought," Keela said meakly as she poured Tasha another bowl. "From what I've seen of it, your Gundam  
looks like a replica of the old RX-78 model."  
  
"You mean there's more than one Gundam out there?" Tasha asked.  
  
Keela gave her an odd look. "There are actually quite a few Mobile Suits out there." She looked up to the sky. "Perhaps  
there are as many Mobile Suits as there are stars in the sky." She stirred the pot instinctively. "Humans always seem to  
be in the middle of one war or another. I guess we're just repeating history."  
  
Muro pulled Commander Lucas aside. "Commander, let's take her along."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"She knows more about what's going on than we do. Her knowledge would be a great assett to us."  
  
"Her knowledge of what, Muro?"  
  
"She probably has seen a Mobile Suit in action before, she could show us how to use it, harness its ultimate power."  
  
"Muro, this is the Earth Federation flagship, not a babysitting service. The only reason I took in Koshiro was because  
he has the B-Gundam." Unknown to Commander Lucas, Koshiro stepped up, but only Muro noticed him and secretly gave him  
an apologetic look.  
  
"If I may interject," Keela said. Commander Lucas and Muro hadn't hear her come up. "You don't have to take us on   
permanently, but if you're heading towards civilization, we wouldn't mind a lift. I want these children to sleep in  
real beds and have roofs over their heads, just the basic essentials."  
  
"Once we reach Washington D.C., we can set them up there. It'll be that easy," Muro debated.  
  
"But there's no guarantee that we would be able to protect her. We have no weapons and the B-Gundam can't be in two  
places at once," Commander Lucas argued.  
  
"Miss Okawa, I'm sure the Commander is only looking out for the health of the crew. He doesn't want us in any dangerous  
situations. I'll just have to take them to Porter City or New Dublin."  
  
Commander Lucas then noticed Koshiro. He probably thought he just came up. "Koshiro, will repairs be completed soon?"  
  
"It'll be another 90 minutes."  
  
Commander Lucas' phone rang. "Lucas... all right, I'll have him check it out." He closed the phone and turned back to   
Koshiro. "Scanners reported something unusual heading this way. It could be a Mobile Suit, but they're not sure. Go  
check it out. No fighting unless you get attacked first."  
  
"Right." Koshiro ran to the B-Gundam which was stationed in standby position (down on one knee). He took off.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro didn't have to go far. Archangel was charging towards him.  
  
"You again?" He asked. "I thought I got rid of you."  
  
"I will destroy you, then the Pegasus-class, then I will be retributed."  
  
Koshiro barely had time to activate the beam saber as Archangel attacked with its double-edge metal spear. The B-Gundam  
took a step back to position himself.  
  
Koshiro cursed. "If only I had the beam rifle."  
  
Ben's comment echoed that. "Not so tough without your big gun."  
  
Archangel slid one end of the spear in between the B-Gundam's legs. With one turn, he brought the B-Gundam down.   
He then stabbed the B-Gundam's legs with it.  
  
"Now you won't be able to stand, and thus an easy target." Archangel slammed his fists into the B-Gundam's rib area.  
Koshiro felt like he was taking the hits instead of the B-Gundam. It was so painful. He tried to bring his arms up but  
Archangel pinned them down. He started kneeing the stomach where the cockpit area was.  
  
Koshiro had only one chance. Playing possum. He quickly turned off all his systems. Outside, Archangel saw the B-Gundam's  
eyes go out.  
  
"This was too easy, but oh well." Archangel stepped on the B-Gundam's stomach one more time. He then took off again.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"All power readings from the B-Gundam have gone silent," Victor announced.  
  
"Does that mean..." Lee didn't want to finish the sentence.  
  
"Probability 95%," Tasha said. "Then again, I never did trust statistics."  
  
"We have no choice," Commander Lucas said. "Take off."  
  
"But what about Koshiro?" Henry pointed out.  
  
"It'll be hard to attempt any sort of rescue operation in the afterlife, Henry." The Exalon began taking off.  
Keela got the children into one of the houses to protect themselves from the exhaust from the Exalon's engine.  
  
"You're not getting away from me. I shall destroy you!" Ben cried. He charged towards the Exalon.  
  
Keela was trying to keep the children under control.  
  
"No, you can't go out there, you'll get hurt."  
  
"I can take on that big bully," Sonya said punching the air like a boxer.  
  
"Oh, are you sure? Taking on a big Mobile Suit by yourself?"  
  
"Yeah, I can!" And before Keela could stop her, Sonya ran out.  
  
"Hey, you big bully, why don't you pick on someone your own size!" Sonya picked up a stone and threw it. She threw  
another one, and a third one.  
  
Archangel stopped. Ben's mono-eye turned to look at her. {What does that kid think she's doing? I better be careful or  
else I might crush her.}  
  
Suddenly Archangel's foot began to rise. It turned in the direction of the Exalon and the direction of Sonya. The  
problem was Ben wasn't moving the controls.  
  
"No, what are you doing? Stop!" It was like Archangel had suddenly developed a mind of his own. Ben watched in horror  
as the leg was about to crush Sonya.  
  
She would've been crushed, if the B-Gundam hadn't come flying down and tackled Archangel sending him flying to the other  
end of town.  
  
"I thought I disabled you!" He then realized that the B-Gundam was using its thrusters as its means of travel, not its legs.  
Archangel turned the B-Gundam over so that Archangel itself was now the one on top. It brought its hands together with  
the B-Gundam's head in between them.  
  
Koshiro felt his vision begin to stagger as the head was crushed beneath the weight of Archangel's hands. The B-Gundam   
weaved its hands up and chopped Archangel's shoulders. With its thrusters, the B-Gundam was overturned. It retreated  
to Sonya.  
  
"I've had enough of you!" Ben cried as he powered up his fusion cannons on Archangel's belt.  
  
"Beam shield," Koshiro said as he activated the B-Gundam's one defense. The shield came on and met the combined blasts.  
The B-Gundam was being pushed back.  
  
"Come on, B-Gundam," Sonya called. "You can beat that overweight tin can."  
  
Koshiro's eyes widened. Overweight, that was it. "Sonya, you're a genius." Koshiro turned off the beam shield and laid   
down so that the blasts would pass over him. Finally, Ben made the move that Koshiro hoped for. It charged forward.  
Koshiro held up the B-Gundam's feet. Archangel ran into them. Koshiro brought the B-Gundam's legs over  
catapulting Archangel to the other end.  
  
The B-Gundam held out its hand, palm up to Sonya. Sonya looked at it then pointed to herself with a quizzical look.  
The B-Gundam nodded its head. Stacy climbed onto the hand.  
  
"Sonya, get down from there," Keela ordered.  
  
"It's okay, Miss Keela, the B-Gundam's going to take us to safety."  
  
Keela wasn't sure, but instinct plus past experience told her to trust the Mobile Suit. "Everybody get on," she instructed  
and helped the three older children onto the hand. She climbed on herself and instructed all the children to lay down.  
The B-Gundam carefully closed its hand making sure there was a little crack for its passengers to breath. It then took off.  
  
Archangel didn't follow them. Mostly because Ben was investigating the insides of Archangel. He had lost control of   
Archangel and he didnt' know why. Was it a program error, or was it a problem within the Mobile Suit itself?  
It is possible that somehow an outside influence got control of it, but how was that possible? That's what he was here  
to find out. He searched through Archangel's motor circuitry until he found what he was looking for. A small V-shaped   
piece of circuitry that wasn't part of Archangel's original design. It was a Menovsky Receptor, designed to control a   
piece of equipment from long distance. That meant that somebody had temporary control of Archangel.  
The question was... who and why?  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
On the Exalon, Commander Lucas addressed Keela and the children.  
  
"We'll take you as far as the United States. After that, you can do whatever you so wish. Is that acceptable?"  
  
"Yes, Commander," Keela said. "We'll try not to be a bother."  
  
The children saluted.  
  
As Keela escorted the children off the bridge, Commander Lucas turned to Muro. "Muro, I hope I don't regret this."  
  
"Don't worry, Commander," Muro assured him. "I have a feeling things are going to turn out just fine."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The fate of having to face Paiyako as well as the battles begin to take its toll on Koshiro. As Commander Lucas and Muro   
Okawa investigate possible dangers that the Earth Federation is in, the Desert Dictators begin a covert operation to take  
down the very heart of the Earth Federation.   
  
Next episode: Internal Conflict.   
  
Dissention comes from all sides. 


	9. Internal Conflict

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The calendar of the Universal Century has reached the year 300. The Earth has fallen into a state of disarray due to a  
war against an organization of countries who are seeking total world domination. Even though the Earth Federation has  
numbers on their side, they are being overwhelmed by the battle-hardened soldiers of the Alliance of Middle-Eastern  
Countries. This is because they had one advantage: strange humanoid machines that could devastate entire platoons  
with a single strafe. To make matters worse, the Colonies have severed all diplomatic and economic ties.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Suffering from damage inflicted by the Terran Alliance, the Exalon was forced to land in a devastated village. There,  
they've discovered four children being cared for by Keela Nyoko, a young woman from the Space Colonies that seemed to   
know a lot about the Gundam-class Mobile Suit. Ben Hoshum attacked the Exalon after taking down the B-Gundam. Suddenly, he lost control of Archangel and almost crushed Sonya, one of the children. Luckily the B-Gundam saved her.   
Commander Lucas agreed to take Keela and the children on the Exalon.  
  
[Title: Internal Conflict]  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon had been in battle after battle ever since they found the Gundam in the hidden Earth Federation facility.  
The AMEC ship that has been pursuing them ever since they left the valley where Scatterhaven used to be was resilient  
and relentless. The battles have begun to ware on some of the crew, but even through all this, they still find leisure  
time. In the case of Koshiro Anaka and Henry Kozuko, it was testing out the other accessories that came with the B-Gundam.  
  
Koshiro grunted as he tried to keep the B-Gundam stable. "It's no use," he said. "The armor's too heavy."  
  
"That's okay, Koshiro," Henry Kozuko called from outside the cockpit. "Shut it down." Koshiro placed the B-Gundam into  
stand-by mode and climbed out onto the cockpit. Hooks and pullies began lifting the armor off of the B-Gundam's shoulders.  
Koshiro and Henry knelt down on the B-Gundam's knee. "I thought for sure that the armor would be helpful."  
  
"Sure, the armor is strong," Koshiro agreed. "But it severely limits the B-Gundam's maneuverability. And it's taking  
all I've got just to keep her afloat. What if we trim the armor a little bit."  
  
"It might make the B-Gundam stand upright but it won't improve the maneuverability. You probably wouldn't even be able  
to fly."  
  
"So are we going to just get rid of the armor altogether."  
  
"Absolutely not," Henry denied. "Maybe we can't use the armor altogether but maybe we can..."  
  
"Hey up there!" A voice called. Koshiro and Henry looked down to see Keela and the children holding a mobile tray cart   
with some food on it. "You two going to take a break this year?" The two jumped down from the B-Gundam's leg.  
"You guys have been at that all afternoon. We thought you two might like something to eat."  
  
"Thanks," Henry said as he dug in. Koshiro did too. "Is it all right that you're doing this?"  
  
"I figured since we're going to be staying here for a while, we might as well earn our keep," Keela said. "So the   
Commander has us doing odd jobs. "  
  
"You don't seem to mind," Koshiro observed.  
  
"I don't really. I used to do the same thing at home."  
  
"Keela, tell me about your home," Koshiro requested. "What's a Space Colony like?"  
  
Keela didn't reply, just stared at the cart.   
  
"I'm sorry," Koshiro apologized. "I didn't mean to bring up something so sensitive to you."  
  
Kikka smiled. "It's all right, Koshiro. That... was in another life. I arrived at Modouken hoping to start life anew.  
But.. to tell you the truth, I don't think that you can ever escape from your past."  
  
"Modouken? Was that the village where we found you?"  
  
"Yup." Keela turned and rolled the cart out. The children followed her.  
  
"She sure is an odd one," Henry commented. "I wonder how she knows so much about the Gundam though."  
  
"Henry, why hasn't the Earth Federation been in contact with the Colonies yet?" Koshiro asked briefly changing the subject.  
  
"Koshiro, we're in the middle of a war, interspacial contact's the last thing we need."  
  
"But that's exactly my point. Why doesn't the Earth Federation request help from the Colonies? I mean, we... you..."  
Koshiro forgot that although he wore a uniform, technically, he wasn't part of the Earth Federation military. "Must have  
the technology."  
  
"Koshiro, the Colonies have been wiped out. There's nothing but floating hulks of debree now."  
  
Koshiro remembered hearing the same thing from one of the other officers.  
  
Henry decided to change the subject back to its original topic. "So how can a civillian know about an ancient Earth  
Federation secret?"  
  
"I wonder... perhaps there's more to this than meets the eye. Why would certain people know about the Gundam while a  
majority of humanity was kept in the dark?"  
  
"Now you're just being paranoid, Koshiro. And besides, who cares what we knew in the past? It's the present we need to  
concentrate on now."  
  
"Right." Koshiro and Henry entered the lounge and saw that some of the other crew members had the same idea they had.  
The Twins, Victor Lenard and Tasha Benson, were having an arm wrestling competition (of which Tasha was winning).  
Shinji Katsumoto, the security chief, was drawing something on paper.  
  
Koshiro paused upon seeing the crew members acting like they were having a good time. "Henry... is this right?"  
  
"Is what right?"  
  
"This." Koshiro moved his hand around the room. "I mean there's a war going on even as we speak and we're all acting  
like we're at a picnic."  
  
"I understand your concern, Koshiro, but sometimes people need to forget the war, in order to remember that they're still   
human at heart. At least, that's what I think."  
  
"Sorry, I guess I seem like a complete novice here."  
  
"Don't worry about it. Nobody will admit this, but we're all not used to this. Come on, I'll show you my favorite card   
game."  
  
It was then that the alarm rang out. "Later," Henry ammended as they returned to the launch bay.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The attack didn't last long, there were only about ten Zakus. As soon as the battle was over, the Exalon continued  
on its way.  
  
Keela rolled the mobile tray cart onto the bridge. "Commander, I brought some drinks if you would like it."  
  
"Thank you, Keela," Commander Lucas said. Sonya and Christopher also offered drinks to Lee and Muro.  
  
"We really should find a place to sit down for the night," Muro suggested.  
  
"Lee, check out the upper control panel, will you."  
  
"Sure." Lee left her station and went upstairs to Tasha's control panel. "I agree with Muro, Commander. There's a fog  
bank rolling in from the South-West. It's going to make future navigation difficult."  
  
"Okay. Muro, let's sit down right here. Begin generating MPs as soon as possible."  
  
"Aye, sir." The Exalon touched down softly.  
  
"Get some sleep, you two," Commander Lucas suggested. "We take off again at daybreak."  
  
"Yes, sir." Lee left the control panel and headed for the elevator. Muro was about to follow her when Commander Lucas  
silently signalled her to wait.  
  
"Muro, I'd like to talk to you alone."  
  
"Okay." Commander Lucas and Muro went downt to the office that was adjacent to his bedroom. "The other day I received  
an encoded message from Earth Federation HQ."  
  
"What did they say?"  
  
"Several of our early warning outpost went off-line a few days ago."  
  
"Were they destroyed by the Desert Dictators?"  
  
"I'm positive."  
  
"But we had three fleets guarding the coast line. How were the Desert Dictators able to overpower them?"  
  
"I don't think they were overpowered, 'Ro."  
  
"Destroyed then?"  
  
"No, not that either. I think they were tricked."  
  
"Tricked? How?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Truthfully, I'm just following on an instinct. But I'm going to find out. You still have that relative  
who's in Interpol, right?"  
  
"My cousin Yoshi. But I don't see how..."  
  
"Good," Commander Lucas interrupted. "I'll get you a secure line, I need you to contact her and get information."  
  
"Sir, are you sure it's wise to involve others in our fights?"  
  
Commander Lucas gave her a sad smile. "It seems to be a growing habit of ours, isn't it?"  
  
Muro nodded. "I'll see what I can do."  
  
"Thanks, 'Ro, I owe you one. We'll be traveling the Atlantic Ocean very soon. If what I fear is true, I want to know  
what's actually in store for us on the other side."  
  
"Aye-aye, sir."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Captain Garrett entered his private office with an encoded disk. He placed it into his computer and typed in his  
access code. All it said was:  
  
THE DRAGON HAS FALLEN.  
  
"Hot damn," Garrett exclaimed then pressed his intercom button. "Ben Hoshum to my office." In a minute, a young boy  
in brown and green jumpsuit appeared before him. "Ben, this is a momentous occasion."  
  
"What do you mean?" Ben asked like Garrett was a mere annoyance.  
  
"We have won." Ben was bewildered by the declaration. Have they done it, has AMEC really won the war?  
  
"I received a message from Epsilon, Captain Raven's unit has succeeded in putting a foothold in the EF's door."  
  
"So that's it? The war's over?"  
  
"Not yet. We still need to retain our foothold so we have to deliver backup support to Captain Raven's Unit. You'll be  
part of that backup."  
  
"All right, it might be some fun anyway." And without any other words, Ben left the room.  
  
{That boy is disturbing,} Captain Garrett thought. {He treats this as if it was a game, a game that he can end any time  
he wants. He has too much freedom. Perhaps it will be necessary to... limit that freedom.}  
  
He clicked on his intercom again. "Bridge."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"How is our plan coming along?"  
  
"Proceeding ahead of schedule, sir."  
  
"Good. Keep me informed."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro was running, but he wasn't getting anywhere. It was like he was on a tredmill and running in place. He was  
running towards something but he didn't know what it was. He could just make out a female form.  
  
The female form turned and launched something at Koshiro. Koshiro saw that it was a blade but it was too late, it stuck  
him right through the heart. He fell onto his back, the strange female form standing over him.  
  
Koshiro quickly sat up in bed. He was in his room. He felt his forehead and wiped the beads of sweat that must've  
accumulated during his sleep.  
  
"That same dream," he said and pulled on a pair of pants. "And this time, I know what it means."  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Lee walked into the lounge and saw that she wasn't the only one who decided to take a late night stroll. Koshiro  
was still there playing the card game that Henry was teaching him earlier.  
  
"Koshiro, what are you doing up his late?"  
  
"I couldn't sleep," he said.  
  
"I noticed that you haven't been sleeping much ever since that attack the Terran Alliance made almost a week ago.  
You're no good to anybody half-asleep in battle."  
  
"Sorry, Lee, it's just that... all these constant battles... I'm getting sick of all these battles. I don't know how  
you can keep up."  
  
Lee sat down next to him. "It's something else, isn't it? It's not just the battles."  
  
Koshiro nodded. "When the Terran Alliance attacked at the crevice, I recognized one of them."  
  
"Sasari Mei? You said that she was originally from Scatterhaven."  
  
"No, it wasn't her, it was... well... we were best friends growing up."  
  
"Male or female?" Lee immediately asked.  
  
"Female."  
  
"Ah," Lee said like that answered everything.  
  
"Hey, wait, it's not like... I mean..." Apparently Koshiro realized what Lee was thinking because his face went crimson.  
  
"You're worried that you might have to face her in the future and you don't want to do that." Koshiro nodded. Lee massaged  
his shoulders. "Koshiro, I would never want you to to forget your old friends, but the next time you face her, she might  
not think of you as a friend. She might try to kill you. Know what I mean?" Koshiro nodded. Lee had to mentally remind  
herself that he was just a boy, he hasn't gone through the mental training that Lee and the others had gone through.  
He seemed to be unaffected by the first few battles only because he hasn't had time to digest all that has happened to him.  
Now that he has had that time, he doesn't know what to make of it all.  
  
"I don't think she realizes I'm part of the enemy. When she realizes that, she's going to feel betrayed and hurt. I...  
don't want to hurt her."  
  
"A true friend is someone who cares about you no matter the circumstances. If she despises the Earth Federation, that's   
one thing. But if she despises you personally, then maybe she doesn't deserve to be your friend. Plus don't forget,  
you have new friends here on the Exalon. Muro, Shinji, Henry, the twins, Keela, the children, even Commander Lucas,   
everybody."  
  
"Even you?" Koshiro asked almost hopefully.  
  
Lee gave him a little hug. "Even me," she assured him.  
  
"Thanks, Lee. The constant battles are still a little hard to handle, but now at least I have a definite reason to  
continue fighting... for my friends."   
  
Lee nodded. "Yeah, the battles are hard to handle for all of us, even the Commander. Hey, look." She pointed out the   
viewport window at the night sky. A streak of light was traveling across the horizon. "A shooting star. When I was a girl,  
my mother used to tell me that shooting stars contained magical powers. If you make a wish on one, it will use its magical  
powers to make that wish come true."  
  
"Do you still believe that?"  
  
"Yes, I do. Let's make a wish."  
  
"Okay." The two made a silent wish on the shooting star and sat back to enjoy the rest of the night. At least, until the   
alarm sounded.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Muro and Commander Lucas were having another secret meeting. Muro reported that after talking with her cousin, she   
discovered that the EF fleets were called out to sea to respond to a distress signal. They lost contact after that.  
  
"I see," Commander Lucas muttered. "We'll have to proceed straight to Washington then. Muro, I..."  
  
"All hands report to battle stations!" Shinji Katzumoto's voice called out. Commander Lucas and Muro trouble was all   
about. When they got to the bridge, they saw why the alarm had been been triggered. The Zeon approaching them at fast   
speed.  
  
"Gundam Pilot to battle," Commander Lucas called.  
  
In seconds, Koshiro was in his jumpsuit and interface helmet ready to launch the B-Gundam.  
  
"What is this, the fourth time they attacked us this week," Koshiro asked.  
  
"Fifth," Lee corrected.  
  
"They are trying to wear us down," Commander Lucas explained. "Make it so we can't even fight back anymore. Boy,  
are they going to be disappointed. Launch B-Gundam!"  
  
The Gundam was catapulted out. It flipped in the air and landed on one knee, its arms crossed.  
  
"Unfold," Koshiro commanded. The B-Gundam stood on both feet and uncrossed its arms. "Bring it on!" The B-Gundam drew a  
beam saber and started up its jet pack.  
  
"Koshiro, listen," Lee called. "Don't try a direct assault against them. Do a surgical strike."  
  
"And just how am I suppose to do that?" Koshiro asked, furiously dodging shots from the Zeon's cannons.  
  
"Aim for the cannons on the right side first, the side's that closest to the Exalon, then go for the guns on the front.  
Then go for the ones on the other sides if you can."  
  
"Right." The B-Gundam did a verticle slice on one of the Zeon's side cannons. The other three cannons fired back.  
The B-Gundam pulled back, dodging the shots in the process. He returned fire with the vulcan cannons. The officer  
who was manning a cannon died and the gun became unusable.  
  
Koshiro decided to try a bold move and aim for the three single barrel cannons on the Zeon's front. The main guns fired  
and blew the B-Gundam back. A rocket came out of the central barrel and nailed the B-Gundam directly in the chest.  
  
"Koshiro, hurry, aim for the side cannons," Lee instructed. The B-Gundam flew around and stabbed its beam saber into the   
Zeon's side. It dragged the beam saber creating a large laceration in its side. The Zeon tilted to one side. It was  
forced to back off.  
  
The bridge crew (except for Commander Lucas) burst into cheers and applause.  
  
"He injured that AMEC ship," Henry said excitedly.  
  
"The B-Gundam is stronger than we thought," Lee commented.  
  
Commander Lucas' brow lowered. {Something is wrong, this seemed a little too easy.}  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Captain Garrett," Ben Hoshum called. He was sitting at an empty control station. He would've much rather be in his  
mobile suit, but he just didn't feel like attacking this time around. "The dummy ship has been dispatched. They fell  
for it."  
  
"Good. At this rate, they won't even notice the receptor we placed on the ship. Contact Delta Source. Tell her to lay   
in A-mode for a while until we contact her again."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Lee and Muro visited the launch bay soon after the battle. Henry and the engineering crew were taking care of maintenance  
and replenishing the ammunition in the vulcans.  
  
"I never realized the B-Gundam was so strong," Muro commented.  
  
"I'll say," Henry agreed. "It took a buster rocket right in the chest and the circuitry was only a little singed.  
  
"Hey, where's Koshiro?" Lee asked.  
  
"Come to think of it, I don't think he exited the cockpit yet."  
  
"Gee, I hope nothing's wrong," Muro commented as Lee went up a maintenance ladder. She leapt onto the B-Gundam's   
leg and walked up to the cockpit door.  
  
"Koshiro? Is everything all right?" Lee called.  
  
"He might not be able to hear you through the B-Gundam's armor," Henry called out. Lee opened the cockpit door.  
Koshiro was slumped down in his seat. His helmet's visor was still on.  
  
"Koshiro? Koshiro, you okay, kid?" Lee touched a button on the side of the helmet and the visor folded open. Koshiro's  
eyes were closed and his breathing was light. Lee smiled, he looked a little cute like that.  
  
"Is he all right?" Muro asked from the bottom.  
  
"He's fine," Lee reported. "He's just sleeping."  
  
"We should let him," Henry decided. "After all this battling, he deserves some rest."  
  
Lee took another glance at the sleeping Koshiro. "Yeah," she said. She gently removed his helmet and left him to vacation  
in drean land. "You deserve it, Koshiro," she whispered to him.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro continues to discover more powers and abilities of the B-Gundam. The Exalon arrives at the ocean and begin the long  
trek across it, but Koshiro is left behind. How long can Koshiro last before he succumbs to the powerful attacks of the   
ocean?  
  
Next episode: Journey Across the Sea.   
  
Koshiro will face the wraith not of AMEC, but of the mother nature herself. 


	10. Journey Across the Sea

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The calendar of the Universal Century has reached the year 300. The Earth has fallen into a state of disarray due to a  
war against an organization of countries who are seeking total world domination. Even though the Earth Federation has  
numbers on their side, they are being overwhelmed by the battle-hardened soldiers of the Alliance of Middle-Eastern  
Countries. This is because they had one advantage: strange humanoid machines that could devastate entire platoons  
with a single strafe. To make matters worse, the Colonies have severed all diplomatic and economic ties.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Commander Lucas and Muro Okawa discovered that something was happening at the Earth Federation Headquarters in  
Washington D.C. AMEC has made a crucial step, but it's a step so secretive not even the officers know about it.  
Koshiro and Lee had a heart-to-heart and Koshiro discovered that he had a friend. Now, the true journey begins.  
  
[Title: Journey Across the Sea]  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro grunted as Archangel made another assault with its metal spear. Again, he blocked it with his beam shield and  
countered with the beam rifle. Archangel dodged it and released its spike cables. The B-Gundam in turn pulled out one  
of its beam sabers and made several strikes at the cables. Some were sliced off but the majority of them avoided it  
and wrapped around the B-Gundam's arms. The beam rifle fell out of its hand. The vulcan cannons fired but didn't make  
any damage on Archangel. Koshiro knew he needed a new strategy, not just the simple dodge and shoot routine.  
Koshiro's eyes glazed over for a second as an idea came to his mind. The B-Gundam took out the other beam saber and  
ignited it. It put the ends of the handles of the two beam sabers together. They remained that way.  
  
Ben Hoshum, the Dark Messiah, wondered what his adversary was doing now. He saw the Feddy Mobile Suit started twirling  
this lance made from two beam sabers around like a helicopter propeller. Archangel fired its cables again. But they  
weren't able to get through the B-Gundam's twirling beam lance. He retracted the cables or what was left of them.   
  
Koshiro turned and lifted off. The Exalon was just ahead, being harrassed by almost a dozen Zaku Mobile Suits.  
Using his new beam lance, the B-Gundam took them down two at a time. He retreated into the sky as they all exploded.  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
On the bridge of the Exalon, Victor Lenard wiped his brow. "Whoa, that was a close one."  
  
"Hey Victor, how about a status of the Beam Gundam instead of some commentary?"  
  
"Sorry, Commander Lucas. Status of Beam Gundam is nominal."  
  
"Good. Lee, tell Gundam Pilot to keep along side of us in case AMEC try another attack."  
  
"Aye, sir."  
  
The B-Gundam separated the beam lance into two beam sabers and holstered them. He settled into a flying pattern next to  
the Exalon. Koshiro finally found time to take a breather.  
  
"Good job, Koshiro," Lee congratulated.  
  
"Thanks. Can I come on board now?"  
  
"Sorry, Commander Lucas wants you to remain out in case they attack again."  
  
"No rest for the weary I guess." The B-Gundam and Exalon continued on their way in a straight line. Suddenly they stopped.  
Just ahead of them was a vast blue area.  
  
"The ocean!" Muro cried excitedly. "We've finally reached the ocean."  
  
Sonya pressed her face against the glass window. "Wow, it's so big."  
  
"Have you ever seen the ocean before?" Muro asked. The young girl shook her head.  
  
"Is Washington across the ocean?" Christopher asked Lee.  
  
"That's right. As soon as we get to Washington, we can drop..." Lee was interrupted by an alarm.  
  
"Zakus, twenty in all," Victor reported. "Approaching from right behind us."  
  
"They just don't give up, do they?" Henry Kozuko asked.  
  
"Koshiro..."  
  
"I see it, Lee. You go on ahead, I'll make sure they won't follow you."  
  
"Gundam Pilot, the B-Gundam's flight ability is limited. You're bound to run out of fuel before you get to shore."  
Henry said through Lee.  
  
"Then don't wander far. After I'm sure they won't follow us, I'll join up. Now go!"  
  
"No," Lee argued. You won't survive!"  
  
"Lee," Commander Lucas said calmly. "That's enough. Gundam Pilot, here's what we'll do: we'll head out for ten kilometers  
and set down in the water. We'll wait approximately ten minutes. If you're not here after that, we're taking off."  
  
"All right."  
  
"But Commander Lucas," Lee said. "How do we know the Exalon won't sink before the time is up?"  
  
"I'm sure she can stand up to a little dip," Keela assured them. "Besides, if it does start to sink, we could always  
take off, circle around and land again."  
  
"Then it's decided," Commander Lucas declared. "Gundam Pilot, synchronize chronometers for ten minutes. Synchronize...  
now." Koshiro programmed the B-Gundam's timer for ten minutes while Victor did the same thing to the ship's chronometer.  
Lucas himself even set his watch for ten minutes.  
  
"All set, wish me luck." The B-Gundam turned and ran towards the Zakus.  
  
"Commander," Lee said meekly. "Permission to speak freely."  
  
"Granted."  
  
"I'm not sure he can do this."  
  
"You know what, Leeka? Neither do I."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro charged towards the Zakus. At first, he saw only eight of them. The others must be waiting in reserve.  
  
"All right, who's first?" Koshiro asked taking aim with his beam rifle. He fired and nailed one Zaku right in the chest.  
The Zaku fell over. Koshiro turned to another but one got in behind him and shot at his back. The B-Gundam quickly turned  
and raised its beam shield in defense. It dispatched that Zaku with a shot from its beam rifle. "I hope the beam rifle  
has enough power for them all." Koshiro fired the beam rifle again but missed. The Zakus were quickly surrounding him.  
"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all." The Zakus were overwhelming. It seemed that no matter how hard  
Koshiro aimed, he could only graze them.  
  
A warning light inside his helmet told Koshiro that the beam energy was almost depleted. He would have to holster the beam  
rifle in case he would need it later. He attaches the large gun to the side of the jet pack on the B-Gundam's back and   
drew one of the beam sabers. He switched to close-range combat, clashing with the Zakus and their heat hawks.  
  
"This must be the elite of the group," Koshiro figured as he defended with his beam shield.  
  
He only had 7 minutes left.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Seven minutes," Victor reported.  
  
"Commander Lucas, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean what if Ko... I Mean the B-Gundam is destroyed?"  
  
"I'm worried about him too," Lucas admitted. "But when you think about it, we're no better off if he remained. I mean  
if we were attacked while over the ocean, we couldn't release the B-Gundam because its flight ability is limited and the  
Exalon's weapons are all out of action. At least this way, they won't have a chance to follow us."  
  
As Commander Lucas turned to return to his seat, Lee said to Keela. "I'm not sure I understand his logic."  
  
"I do," the girl replied. "Commander Lucas is looking out for the crew of the Exalon. He only wants to sacrifice the   
absolute minimum."  
  
Lee turned towards her in fright. "Keela!"  
  
"I'm sorry, but if there's one thing I learned, it's that a leader must look at the big picture. He can't put one person's  
life ahead of another. I'm sure if he wanted to, he would've charged there with stick and stone if necessary and help  
out Koshiro. But then, he would put the entire crew in danger and that's something he can't do." Sonya came up and held  
onto Keela's leg. "The life of a Commander is a harsh one. No matter what he does, he's not going to get what he wants."  
  
"Five minutes," Victor announced.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Five minutes," Koshiro said to himself. "And I'm no closer to beating these rust buckets than I was before. Looks like I  
have no choice, I'm going to have to destroy them totally, even if that means lasting beyond the ten minute time limit.  
First thing I'll do is lead them away from the Exalon." The B-Gundam leaped over a few Zakus and started to run inland.  
Just as he planned, the Zakus followed him. He kept running until he couldn't see the ocean any more. Then he stopped.  
  
Suddenly a pair of hands reached out from under the ground and grabbed the B-Gundam's legs.  
  
"What?!" Koshiro was startled. All around him Zakus began rising from beneath camuflage nets. "It was a trap! They   
must've wanted to lure me away from the Exalon." The Zakus began taking pot shots at the B-Gundam. As much as he tried,  
Koshiro couldn't defend against all of them.  
  
And he only had three minutes left.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Less than three minutes," Victor reported.  
  
"Perhaps the Zakus are giving Gundam Pilot a much harder time than we originally thought," Commander Lucas said.  
  
"Detecting a large object descending from above us," Victor announced.  
  
"What was that?" Commander Lucas asked startled.  
  
"Is it the B-Gundam?" Muro asked.  
  
"No. Mass, density, and speed don't match. I'm bringing it on the screen." On the screenwas an image of the Zeon.   
"It's AMEC!"  
  
"But how could they..." Muro began to ask but was interrupted by Commander Lucas' grunt of outrage as he slammed his fist  
on his chair rest.  
  
"I can't believe I fell for it," he said. "How could I be so stupid?" Everybody looked at him and he could see that they  
didn't know what he knew. "It's the oldest military maneuver in history: a two-pronged attack. One force is sent to   
distract our defenses, in other words, the B-Gundam, and another force comes around and attacks us from above. Looks like  
we have no choice. Muro, full power to engines. We'll have to outrun them."  
  
"But what about Koshiro?" Lee pointed out. "What if he arrives and finds that we're not here?"  
  
"If we don't move, there won't be anything for him to find," Lucas came back.  
  
Lee frantically hurried to call Koshiro. "Koshiro, come in! Koshiro, this is..." A loud screaching echoed through her  
headset and Lee ripped it off her head. "Commander, they're jamming us!"  
  
"They had this planned from the beginning!" Commander Lucas grumbled as Keela led the children off the bridge.   
"The attack, the jamming, everything. The only thing we can do now is try to make it to Federation territory.   
Muro, go!"  
  
As the Exalon began to lift off, Lee could only watch helplessly at the distant land. "Koshiro..." She said quietly.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The B-Gundam aimed its gun at the bottom. Praying that it worked, he fired. The entire ground exploded underneath him.  
The B-Gundam was thrown into the air. Quickly, Koshiro fired up the jet pack and flew off. The Zakus pursued him using  
their own flight ability.  
  
"These guys just won't give up," Koshiro complained. He reached the seashore and continued heading out to sea. Still the  
Zakus pursued him. "Man, they're going to continue to dog me until I'm dead... wait a minute, maybe that's it."  
Koshiro remembered how he fooled the strange Mobile Suit into thinking that he was dead. Maybe it will work twice.  
  
"Wait a minute," Koshiro said. "How do I know this thing won't fill up with water? I wish someone could give me a sign."  
  
Koshiro did get a sign. His eyes glazed over. In his mind's eye, he could see an image of the B-Gundam. His vision   
zoomed in on the two vents on the B-Gundam's chest then panned to a small area in the neck.  
  
Koshiro's vision returned to the outside world. He knew what he had to do. "Closing vents, activating internal oxygen   
system. Here we go." The vents on the B-Gundam's chest closed. A hissing sound began filling the cockpit. Koshiro  
smelled the sweet odor of oxygen. The B-Gundam dropped into the water. Koshiro felt himself plunge to the ocean floor.  
It was rocky and the current made it a little difficult to position himself. Koshiro terminated the interface link and   
waited. His vision wouldn't do much good even if it was activated. But he could hear the splashes if the Zakus entered  
so that made his ears his early warning system.  
  
He waited for a while but didn't hear any splashes. Maybe they thought he drowned and went back, or maybe they were going for reinforcements. Either way, he had to get moving to catch up with the Exalon. He re-activated the interface link  
and began making short jumps, like a moontraveler (before the moon was colonized that is).  
  
His internal gauges (numbers were transferred directly into his helmet) told him he was at the designated spot. Koshiro  
fired the boost jets and was propelled up. But he couldn't see the Exalon. He maximized his scanners but couldn't see   
them anywhere.  
  
"This doesn't make sense," Koshiro commented as he checked his gauges again. "I know this is the designated area, but  
where's the Exalon. B-Gundam to Exalon, come in. "B-Gundam to Exalon, can you hear me, Exalon? Shoot, they must be out  
of communication range." The B-Gundam began to descend back into the sea. Koshiro quickly fired the jets again but  
nothing happened. The jets must've gotten waterlogged from that last jump. Now, Koshiro had no choice. He had to make it  
to land before his air ran out.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon finally lost the Zeon. They settled down while Commander Lucas decided what to do next.  
  
"Now that we're away from the rendezvous point, we have no way to find the B-Gundam," he said.  
  
"We should go back," Lee said. "He might be there."  
  
"No way to tell," Victor argued. "By the time we do, he could be half-way across the ocean."  
  
"What would Koshiro do in this situation?" Shinji asked leaning against his control panel.  
  
"Well," Commander Lucas began. "He knows that our final destination is Earth Federation HQ. Perhaps he is heading there  
in which case we need to get over there as soon as possible."  
  
"What if he isn't?" Henry said darkly. "What if he was destroyed?"  
  
"We can't think that way," Muro said. "Koshiro is strong, I can tell. He wouldn't go down so easily."  
  
Lucas smiled at his helmswoman. "Ever the optimist, aren't you, Muro?"  
  
"I try, sir."  
  
"We don't have much time. Any moment now, that Desert Dictator warship will come for us and our weapons are still down.  
We have no defenses. We have to get to the Earth Federation headquarters. Muro, prepare to move out."  
  
"Aye, sir."  
  
"Shinji, Lee, we won't need you two for a while, why don't you two get some sleep. I'll wake you if we need you."  
  
"Yes, sir," shinji replied and turned to leave. Lee started to follow but paused. She looked back at her station.  
  
"Lee?" Commander Lucas laid a hand on her shoulder. "Get some sleep. You're no good to anyone if you're half-asleep  
at the consol." Sensing her trouble, he continued, "Muro's right, Koshiro's a strong kid." He smiled. "I'm sure he  
wouldn't go down without bringing half the planet down with him."  
  
Despite herself, Lee smiled. "I hope you're right, sir."  
  
"I am." Lee turned and left the bridge. Commander Lucas returned to his seat and took a deep breath. "At least, I hope I  
am," he muttered to himself.  
  
"You should get some sleep too, sir," Muro suggested noting her superior's fatigue.  
  
"I'll only sleep once we're all back on land." Commander Lucas emphasized 'all.' Muro could see that he was just as   
worried as Lee was, if not more.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro was finding it more difficult to tranverse the ocean terrain. The B-Gundam began slowing down. Eventually he came  
to a stop at a pit. He tried to jump over it but the pull was almost too strong. He almost fell in but a quick flick of   
the beam saber and Koshiro had an anchor. He managed to pull himself up and continued on his way.  
  
"Mental note, never travel vie the ocean floor again," he cracked. He continued on his way.   
  
The B-Gundam's sensors went off signalling that something was heading his way. Koshiro looked up to see a shark rapidly   
swimming towards him. The shark bit down on the B-Gundam's arm.  
  
"Off, blubber boy," Koshiro cracked as he fired the vulcans. The shark convulsed as blood spilled from its dying body.  
Koshiro wanted to breath a sigh of relief, but that was impossible. More sharks began swimming towards the area, drawn  
towards the carcas of one of their own.  
  
"Great, I can't use the vulcans, they might just attract more." The B-Gundam kicked one of the sharks then grabbed another  
by the tail and swung it around like a bat, knocking more away. The B-Gundam took off with the sharks in hot pursuit.  
  
A couple of nautical miles further down, he saw something unusual. Multiple metal spheres with spikes all around were  
spread out, held in their position by a weight and string.  
  
"Must be some sort of bombs," Koshiro guessed as he scanned them using the B-Gundam's instruments. "No doubt they'll  
probably explode if I touch them and destroying them with weapons would probably worsen my situation. So I'll have to   
disconnect them somehow, or at least move them out of the way." Koshiro activated the beam saber again and sliced the  
rope holding one of the bombs down. The bomb rose until it was just above the B-Gundam's head then it exploded. The  
force threw the B-Gundam out of control. Koshiro dug the B-Gundam's feet into the oceam floor and slowed his acceleration.  
The sharks that have been chasing the B-Gundam took off from fright.  
  
"Wow, whoever put these here knew what they were doing." But on the other hand, it gave him an idea. If he could explode  
them all at once, it could signal a ship to pick it up. Sure, it might be an AMEC ship but at the moment Koshiro really  
couldn't afford to be picky. His shallow breathing told him he had a couple of minutes of oxygen left. After that, it'd   
be all over.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"What the... that's weird," Victor commented.  
  
"What is it?" Commander Lucas asked.  
  
"The heat sensors just picked up a thermal reaction from under water."  
  
"How can that be possible?"  
  
"I don't know, sir, we better go check it out."  
  
"Do it. All senior crew members to the bridge! Combat Alert!" Lee, Shinji, Henry, and Tasha, even though she was on sick  
leave due to a broken arm, came onto the bridge.  
  
"Everybody take your positions," Commander Lucas instructed. Victor helped his partner up to her station while the other  
three slid into their seats.  
  
"What's going on?" Henry asked.  
  
"We have an underwater explosion," Commander Lucas commented.  
  
"Which means what exactly?" Lee asked.  
  
"Which means that something's going on under water that isn't suppose to be," Tasha explained.  
  
"It could be a trap," Shinji pointed out.  
  
"If it is, maybe they have an idea on the status of the B-Gundam," Muro said. Lee's hopes were immediately raised.  
  
"Doubt it, but I suppose anything's possible. Muro, full speed."  
  
The Exalon turned and headed for the direction.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro's vision was starting to blurr. His oxygen was almost out. He had to signal a ship now. Taking aim with his beam   
rifle, he fired. A huge explosion engulfed his field of vision.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
On the Exalon, Tasha looked up from her control panel and down at Commander Lucas.  
  
"I've got it," she called out. "It's some sort of depth charges, left over from ancient times." She could see that  
saying that devastated the hopes of the others so she said, "But something triggered them."  
  
"Even if that was so, what good would it do fo us. It's just a wild goose chase. Muro, resume course."  
  
"But Commander, what about investigating what caused those things to go off in the first place?" Lee asked.  
  
"Most likely a malfunction," Henry guessed. "Those things would explode if anything touched it."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro felt himself floating. Did the explosion destroy the B-Gundam and left him under water? No, that was impossible.  
He still felt dry. He could see images of his life flash before his eyes. He saw all those people whom he met. Lee,  
Henry, Shinji, Muro, Victor, Tasha, Keela, the children, Commander Lucas, Sasari Mei. One image lingered more than the  
others, that of Paiyako.  
  
"Paiyako," he called weakly. His finger accidentally landed on the trigger for the Beam Rifle. Since the rifle was   
pointed downward, the force was propelling the B-Gundam upward at an angle.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Commander, detecting an object approaching us from under water at high velocity," Victor announced.  
  
"Muro, full reverse!" The Exalon managed to back up just in time to see the B-Gundam leap out of the water and hover in   
front of them.  
  
"It's the B-Gundam!" Lee cried excitedly.  
  
Everybody cheered. Commander Lucas quickly picked up his phone. "Launch Bay, open up, we have a Mobile Suit and pilot to  
retrieve. As the hatch began opening, the B-Gundam started to plunge back down. At the last second, the B-Gundam's hand  
reached out and grabbed the edge of the bottom part of the hatch.  
  
Commander Lucas took a deep breath and sat back in his chair. "Just between you and me, Muro, that kid's going to give me  
grayer hair than I already have." Muro burst into laughter.  
  
"Lee, come with me." Commander Lucas and Lee got up and went down to the docking bay. The B-Gundam was just being settled into standard position. The hatch opened and Koshiro stumbled onto the knee.  
  
"Koshiro, are you all right?" Commander Lucas called up.  
  
The boy gave him a thumbs up. "A little water-logged, Commander, but other than that..." Suddenly Koshiro froze, staring   
straight ahead.  
  
"Koshiro? Koshiro, is something wrong?"  
  
"Koshiro?" Lee joined in. "Koshiro, you're beginning to scare me." Koshiro fell off the knee. Had he not been wearing  
his helmet, the fall would've seriously injured him. "Koshiro!" Lee ran over to him and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder.  
Koshiro was crouched into a ball, moaning in agony.  
  
Lee turned to the Commander. "Commander..."  
  
"I understand," Lucas affirmed. He quickly went over to the intercom. "Medical Bay, emergency in the Loading Dock,  
bring a stretcher immediately!"  
  
Lee had taken Koshiro's helmet off. She was running her hand through his hair whispering words of comfort. "Hang on,  
Koshiro, everything's going to be all right, everything's going to be fine."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro is suffering from decompression sickness and is taken out of action. The Exalon finally arrives at the United   
States, but finds that it has been laid to waste and the Federation base destroyed. Unable to pilot the B-Gundam, Lee  
finds hope in a new weapon.   
  
Next episode: The Guardian.   
  
Enter the Starlight Guncannon. 


	11. The Guardian

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon had begun its trek across the Atlantic Ocean. In a battle with the Zakus, the B-Gundam was unable to meet up  
with the ship. Koshiro began to tranverse the ocean floor encountering obsticles both mechanical and organic. When  
he was finally able to reunite with the Exalon, he collapsed.  
  
[Episode 10: The Guardian]  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Commander Noah Lucas paced up and down the hallway outside the Sickbay. Koshiro Anaka, the Gundam Pilot, just collapsed  
right in front of them. Next to him, communication officer/field commander Leeka Moshiro. Her face had gone as white  
as a sheet when she saw Koshiro fall off the Gundam's knee. You didn't need to be a psychic to realize that she was  
very worried about him.  
  
The doors opened and Doctor Roger Paulson, the head medical officer, came out.  
  
"Report," Lucas demanded. He didn't want any of that medical pretense that doctors have been known to do.  
  
"Mr. Anaka appears to be suffering from Type 1 decompression sickness, most commonly calledthe bends. Decompression   
sickness occurs when a body is unable to adjust to the rapid change in brometric pressure. The body enters a  
paralyzing-like state."  
  
"How did that happen?" Lee asked.  
  
"Probably while the B-Gundam was under the water," Commander Lucas guessed.  
  
"Yes, sir. Decompression sickness is most common among sky and sea divers," Doctor Paulson confirmed. "Professionals   
find it painfull. For someone like Koshiro, who hasn't even had training, it must be agonizing."  
  
"Is it treatable?"  
  
"Yes, sir, but not here on the Exalon. He needs to be placed in a hyperbaric chamber for a maximum of twenty-four hours."  
  
"Where can we find one?" Lee demanded to know.  
  
"I... I'm not sure."  
  
"Once we reach Earth Federation headquarters, we can ask that Koshiro be taken to a medical facility," Lucas decided.  
"Somebody there should know. What can we do in the mean time?"  
  
"All we can do for him is make him as comfortable as possible."  
  
"Can we talk to him?" Lee asked although her question sounded more like a plea.  
  
"Sorry, I gave him a sedative to ease the pain. But even without it, you wouldn't be able to get him to respond. He is  
unable to form coherent sentences. He can listen, but not react."  
  
"Thank you, doctor, you are dismissed." Doctor Paulson saluted and left.  
  
"Poor Koshiro," Lee muttered.  
  
"I wonder if this'll affect his desire to pilot the B-Gundam," Lucas said putting his hand on his chin.  
  
"Commander! How can you be so heartless? A boy is lying there suffering and all you can think about is how he would  
pilot the stupid Gundam?!"  
  
"Lee, in case you haven't noticed, but we are defenseless. Koshiro and the B-Gundam were our only able defense. Now he's  
out of action and we're basically wearing a big red bull's eye sign on us. If we don't find some way of defending  
ourselves, AMEC will walk all over us. Do you want that to happen?"  
  
"No, sir," Lee grumbled.  
  
"I didn't think so. Dismissed." Lee saluted sharply. As she turned around to return to the bridge, Keela and the  
children came around.  
  
"Hey, is Koshiro going to be all right, Miss Lee?" Sonya asked. Lee just ignored her. "Miss Lee? Miss Lee!" But Lee   
already disappeared into the elevator. Sonya scowled, a scowl that none could take seriously because of her age.  
  
Ray tried asking Commander Lucas. "Koshiro's not going to die, is he?"  
  
"No, he is not," Commander Lucas confirmed.  
  
"Ray, why don't you take the others to the loading bay to look at the B-Gundam," Keela suggested. "I need to speak with  
the Commander for a moment."  
  
"Okay. Come on, Benny." Ray grabbed the mute girl's hand and almost dragged her away followed by Christopher and Sonya.  
  
Once Keela was sure that they were out of listening range, she turned to the Commander. "Commander, I know I'm just a  
civillian, but I think Lee's having some problems."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I think Lee is having trouble setting her priorities."  
  
"Her alleigence?"  
  
"No, I'm pretty sure she knows where her loyalties lie, but I think she's having trouble trying to differentiate between  
listening to her head and listening to her heart."  
  
Commander Lucas sighed. "I try to encourage my crew members to follow orders from me and themselves. I guess Lee's  
just too young to understand when to do what."  
  
"Has she been on the Exalon long?" Keela asked.  
  
"Only two months. This is her first post."  
  
Keela knew only too well the complex state of emotions non-military and rookies in combat personnell suffer from.  
"In that case, she needs someone to follow, a mentor."  
  
"And that should be you?" Commander Lucas' eyebrow went up.  
  
"No, sir, it should be you."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Who better? You are her commanding officer, her superior, and her friend unless I'm mistaken and you two are  
constantly at each other's throats."  
  
"No, we're not at each other's throats," Commander Lucas denied. "But are you sure it should be me?"  
  
"You know someone who's better suited for the task?"  
  
"No. Well, Keela, I'll take what you said into consideration. Thank you."  
  
"Just trying to help." As Commander Lucas returned to the bridge, Keela gripped her T-shirt as she has been known to do   
when she was nervous. In so many ways, this ship resembles its archetype. I just pray that none of the  
hostilities are here.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon had been traversing the Atlantic Ocean on low power for almost two days. The crew tried to go about their  
normal routines, but it wasn't easy. Koshiro's condition hadn't gotten better since he was brought in. In the mean   
time, Shinji was talking with Commander Lucas. He told him that while a majority of their guns were out of   
commission, he could salvage parts from them in order to form a single weapon when, by harnessing power from the   
engine, would release an incredible force of energy. Commander Lucas approved the plan.  
  
"Lee, have you been having any luck contacting Federation headquarters?" Commander Lucas asked.  
  
"Not yet, sir. It could be the Minovsky Particles but they shouldn't be causing this much interference."  
  
Victor Lenard confirmed, "Minovsky Particles do disorientate communication frequencies."  
  
"But if Lee is right, then that means that something terrible must have happened to the Earth Federation." Tasha Benson  
continued her partner's thought.  
  
"We'll find out soon enough," Muro said. "Look." She pointed out the window where a faint green blur could be seen  
in the horizon.  
  
Downstairs in the Sickbay, the children had been keeping constant vigilence over Koshiro. They too could see the land  
out the porthole.  
  
"Look, land," Ray said excitedly.  
  
Sonya turned to Koshiro. "Don't worry, Koshiro, you'll be all right." Koshiro, if he could act, would've smiled greatfully  
for Sonya's encouragement. "We're going to the bridge, Koshiro, but we'll be right back." The children ran to the bridge  
with Keela trailing behind them.  
  
When they got to the bridge, they ran to the window and pressed their faces against it. And gasped in absolute horror.  
  
Smoke was billowing from the land. Smoke that came from fires, large inferno-type fires.  
  
The coastline was devastated.  
  
"Commander Lucas, what happened?" Christopher asked.  
  
"I... I don't know. Victor, Tasha, systems to maximum power."  
  
"Yes, sir," the Twins said as one. They began programming their consols. Above the bridge on the ceiling, a view screen  
appeared. It showed hundreds of buildings that were destroyed. The Washington Memmorial was cut in half. The statue at  
the Lincoln Memmorial lost its head and half its pillars. And the headquarters of the Earth Federation, formerly known  
as the Pentagon, was nothing but rubble.  
  
"It's... it's just like our village," Ray realized.  
  
"And Scatterhaven," Muro added.  
  
"Any signs of life?" Commander Lucas inquired.  
  
"None, sir."  
  
"What about Earth Federation forces?" Henry voiced.  
  
"Nothing..." Tasha began but stopped. "Wait, there's something over by the river."  
  
The Patomac River was as much an icon of Washington D.C. as any of the memorials or statues. But right now, it served as  
some sort of siege line for Desert Dictator anti-aircraft weaponry.  
  
"Muro, evasive maneuvers," Commander Lucas ordered as missiles were launched at them. The Exalon was a sturdy   
ship, but even they weren't invulnerable."  
  
"If only we could launch the B-Gundam," Commander Lucas muttered. Then he had a crazy idea. "Lee, you were the only  
one with Koshiro when you discovered the B-Gundam, correct?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Did you get a good glimpse at the controls?"  
  
"Sort-of, sir."  
  
"Do you think you can pilot it."  
  
"What?!" Lee asked startled. "Um... I... I guess so."  
  
"Good. Get suited up, you're going out."  
  
"Sir, I can't! Not in combat conditions."  
  
"We don't really have any choice, Lee. And you're the only other one besides Koshiro who has had some experience with  
the B-Gundam."  
  
"No! Sir, I can't! Koshiro's the only one who can pilot the B-Gundam! I'm sorry, but I can't pilot it."  
  
Commander Lucas sighed. "All right, Lee. Would you do me a favor and go check on Koshiro?"  
  
"Yes, sir," Lee said meakly. She turned and left the bridge.  
  
"Commander," Muro called. "With all due respect to Lee, perhaps I should pilot it." Commander Lucas gazed at his second   
officer. He's known of Muro's reputation as the woman who can pilot anything, but was he willing to risk everything on a  
reputation? The explosions that raked his ship told him he didn't have much of a choice.  
  
"All right, Muro, get into a flight suit. You leave in five minutes."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Tasha, get down here and take Muro's position. Henry, take Tasha's seat, you'll need to give Muro instructions in battle."  
Kikka ussured the children off the bridge as Tasha and Henry exchanged positions and Muro left the bridge.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Keela and the children arrived in the medical bay to see Lee sitting by Koshiro's bedside. The boy was still scrunched up  
in a ball. His body was covered but he was still shivering.  
  
"No change, huh?" Kikka asked. Lee shook her head. "I see."  
  
Lee looked down at Koshiro. "Koshiro, I'm sorry, I wanted to pilot the B-Gundam for you, but I just... can't, I don't  
have the skills you have. Please forgive me."  
  
"L... Lee." Lee and Kikka gasped. It was Koshiro, he managed to speak Lee's name. "G... Gu..."  
  
"Gundam? I'm sorry, Koshiro, but I can't pilot it." Koshiro's eyes were wide open. Lee staredinto them. They were so   
deep, so green, like fields after a summer rain.  
  
Suddenly Lee knew what Koshiro was trying to say. It was a long shot, but she didn't mind a long shot. She turned and  
ran out of the medical bay.  
  
"Where's she going?" Sonya asked.  
  
"I... I'm not sure," Kikka replied.  
  
Lee was running towards the port loading bay, where the second Gundam was. It was small and somewhat stocky.   
It had two big cannons on each of its shoulder. It looked like a football player.  
  
Lee stared at it. This was it, this was how she could stop the attack, but was it battle ready?  
  
"Engineer!" She called to an officer working on a control panel. He turned towards her, a little shocked. "What's the  
status of that Gundam?"  
  
"You mean the Guncannon?"  
  
"Yeah, that, is it battle ready?"  
  
"I guess so, although nobody has really tried..." Without waiting for him to finish, Lee ran towards the Guncannon.  
Like the B-Gundam, it was down on one knee waiting to be called to battle. Lee climbed up onto the horizontal knee and  
walked across to the cockpit area.  
  
"Hold it!" The engineer called. "You're not authorized..." But Lee was already disappearing into the cockpit.  
Unlike the B-Gundam, the Guncannon had a set of view screens that lowered into position blocking the entrance door which  
was already closing. The Guncannon stood on both feet.  
  
"Muro, status," Commander Lucas called.  
  
"Ready for take-off, Commander." Muro was wearing a gray flight suit and the B-Gundam interface helmet. "The helmet is a  
little tight."  
  
"That's because it was meant for a fifteen year old boy, not a twenty-six year old woman," Henry cracked.  
  
"Watch it, pal, I got a beam rifle here and not afraid to use it."  
  
"Can the chatter you two," Commander Lucas ordered, but he could see that Muro and Henry were trying not to act so  
nervous. He didn't blame them. "All right, launch B..."  
  
"Wait!" Came a new voice. Lee's voice. Her face appeared on a small monitor at the front of the bridge. "Commander, the  
B-Gundam isn't properly equipped for this sort of battle."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Commander Lucas asked.  
  
"The B-Gundam is specifically designed for close-range combat. We need a weapon that is long-range."  
  
"What weapon do we have with that capabilities?"  
  
"The Guncannon in the port docking bay."  
  
"The what?!"  
  
"It's the second Gundam that we recovered from the facility. It's capable of long-range combat. Don't launch the   
B-Gundam."  
  
"Now wait just a minute..." Commander Lucas began.  
  
"I'm still the field commander here, aren't I? Well let me do my job then. Release the Guncannon."  
  
Commander Lucas sighed. He hated to admit it but she was right. "Henry... cancel the B-Gundam launch, prepare to launch  
the Guncannon."  
  
Muro sighed. Unknown to anybody except herself, she smiled. She was wondering when Lee would come to her senses.  
  
The launch bay opened. The Guncannon stepped onto the catapult. The Guncannon was launched.  
  
The Commander of the siege line looked through his buinoculars as the Guncannon touched down almost flawlessly.  
  
"What the devil is that?" He asked. It looked like a Zaku, but completely remodeled which made it... what? Not a Zaku,  
that's for sure. Unfortunately, he didn't have any Zakus and the Zeon wasn't scheduled to arrive for another day.  
He would have to use what he already has. "Channel all weapons on that Mobile Suit that was ejected from the  
Pegasus-class."  
  
Tons of missiles and guns fired at the Guncannon. The Guncannon held its arms up in defense. Smoke swirled around it  
and when the dust cleared, the Guncannon stood unharmed.  
  
"My turn," Lee announced. She pulled over the targeting scope and looked through it. She aimed the cannons at the missile  
launchers first and fired. Two shafts of energy came out of the cannons. The recoil almost pushed the Guncannon into  
the Exalon but the blasts were right on target. It destroyed the weapons. Lee continued firing destroying all of the  
weapons. "All right, time to get up close and personal." The Guncannon started to run towards the camp but came to a halt.  
Soldiers were exiting, their hands behind their heads. Lee was bewildered.  
  
And so was Commander Lucas. "What's the meaning of this?"  
  
One of the soldiers was holding a white flag, a sign of surrender. Abandoning all sense of logic in favor of her  
curiosity, Lee climbed out onto the Guncannon's hand and it automatically lowered to the ground. "What's going on here?"  
  
"As per orders of Captain Raven, we are surrendering ourselves to the Earth Federation Army."  
  
"What happened? How did you gain control of Washington?"  
  
The soldier looked at her warily. "Well... I guess since it already happened, it's okay to tell you. We attacked from the  
Pacific. With the sun behind us, it was difficult for anyone to recognize us. Washington was easy picking."  
  
"You lie!"  
  
"No, I'm not. Their defenses were set to an absolute minimum."  
  
"Where's your commanding officer?" The man pointed to a barrack. Taking out a pistol, Lee ran to it.  
  
Lee kicked open the door and flashed her pistol around the room. She saw an elderly man sitting in a corner, his back   
towards her.  
  
"Congratulations on your victory," the man said.  
  
"You're Captain Raven, aren't you?"  
  
"I am." He stood up and turned to face her. He had week-old beard, and brown eyes that looked like they've seen much more  
than they wanted to see. He reached into his coat pocket. Lee was afraid he was going to pull a gun out. Instead he took  
out a pipe and started to light it. "Washington is yours again, or rather what's left of it." He took a closer look at   
Lee. He gasped and took a step back. "I... I don't believe it! My Lady! After all these years, you've finally returned to   
us."  
  
This guy was starting to scare her. He was so calm, so serene. "Don't do anything drastic," she warned.  
  
"I see. You don't recognize me, do you, My Lady? Well I suppose it's to be expected. The programming they did is pretty  
hard to break." He took a puff from his pipe.  
  
Don't let him scare you, Lee, take charge. "Look, pal, I don't know what your game is but you're coming with me."  
  
The man turned so that his back was to her. "I'll allow you to ask three more questions before the end." Before the end?  
Was the man trying to committ suicide? Lee's brain told her to shoot him, in the leg, in the heart, anywhere, but this was  
her chance to find out more about what's been going on. She had to indulge him, for now at least.  
  
"Three questions, all right. First question: Why did you have your men surrender?"  
  
"I did not want my men to be killed. Surrender isn't as dishonorable as others would like you to believe. It is the job  
of a commanding officer to make sure nothing happens to those under his command... or her command."  
  
"What happened to the Earth Federation forces?"  
  
"That unfortunately I can not tell you because I do not know. All we were told to do was to set up a perimeter and fend off  
any relief force the Earth Federation sends. Had I known you had a Mobile Suit, I would've had my men clear out earlier.  
oh well, live and learn."  
  
Lee knew she had to make this last question count. Too bad, there was still so much she wanted to ask him, like why is  
he choosing to tell her all this, what was the Desert Dictator planning, what did they do with the Council, anything.  
  
Instead, she asked, "How do you know me?"  
  
"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. If I do, it would just jeopardize your mission. However, I can say this, you are more  
important to this war than any soldier, Leeka Moshiro."  
  
"Huh? What do you mean by that?" How do you know my name? Tell me or I'll shoot you!"  
  
The man reached into his coat pocket again and pulled out a gun. He first aimed it at Lee, then brought it up to his temple.  
"Farewell, My Lady, may fortune always smile on you." He saluted her and fired the gun. The bullet went straight through  
his head. His pipe fell to the ground, the tobacco ash spilling out.  
  
Lee stared with horror at the man's body. Not just at the fact that a commanding officer of the AMEC army had committed   
suicide but at the fact that he seemed to know her personally. He called her 'My Lady.' He saluted her like she was  
someone important. What was going on?  
  
Shinji and some soldiers burst into the room. "Lee, are you all right?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah... I'm fine, but that man... Captain Raven... he just shot himself."  
  
"You can tell it to the Commander back at the ship, for now, let's just make sure there are no stragglers."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Lee gave her report to Commander Lucas. He didn't seem too upset that she overruled his orders and took a Mobile Suit  
that was almost as unfamiliar to them as the B-Gundam was or that she journied into enemy territory without orders or  
protection. He apparently was more concerned with what Captain Raven said.  
  
"Lee, is what you told me the Captain's exact words?"  
  
"Yes, sir, every syllable, every pause, every tone, exactly how he addressed me." Of course, Lee left out the part about  
him calling her "My Lady."  
  
"I was afraid of this. The way they so easily captured Washington could mean only one thing: there's a traitor in the  
Earth Federation, maybe even on the Council, if what Captain Raven and the soldier says is true."  
  
"If that's true, then we can't show the B-Gundam to the Earth Federation, because then the AMEC would know its secret,"   
Muro realized.  
  
"How do we know they don't already know?"  
  
"Lee, you've heard what Captain Raven said, they weren't ready for the Guncannon, which means the spy doesn't know   
or he hasn't had time to inform AMEC. Let's deal with one problem at a time. First thing we need to do is get  
Koshiro to a medical facility immediately."  
  
"Commander," Victor called. "I'm picking up an energy discharge about fifteen miles portside. It looks like an Earth  
Federation ship is engaged in a firefight."  
  
"Any idea what ship it is?"  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"Well, can't have all the spoilers. Muro, intercept course. Lee, get to the Guncannon, we may need to launch it again."  
  
"Does that mean..."  
  
Commander Lucas smiled at her. "That you're the pilot? We'll see."  
  
Lee saluted then walked firmly out.  
  
"Muro, best possible speed. Activate." The Exalon turned away from the Washington ruins and started its trek west.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon assists the Earth Federation aircraft carrier Enterprise in defending against an AMEC attack. They then allow  
the Exalon crew to use their decompression chamber. While Koshiro is recovering, they are all attacked by the Zeon.  
Can Lee defend herself while stationary.   
  
Next episode: Gundam's Return.   
  
He's down, but not out. 


	12. Gundam's Return

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
When the Exalon arrived in Washington D.C., they discovered it devastated by AMEC. With Koshiro suffering from  
decompression sickness, it was up to Lee in the Guncannon to take out the siege line. When confronted Captain Raven,  
the commanding officer of the siege line, he revealed that Washington was easy picking for them. He also revered Lee  
by calling her 'My Lady' before killing himself. Now the Exalon is on its way to help an Earth Federation ship in trouble.  
  
[Title: Gundam's Return]  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Enterprise was the oldest and largest ship in the Earth Federation fleet. Standing the length of a football stadium  
(not field, stadium) and containing an arsenal enough to level a small town, it has earned its place as the most powerful  
aircraft carrier ever to serve. But now, it was under attack by a group of AMEC aircrafts.  
  
Captain Richard Harrington grunted as another barrage of missiles struck. Damage reports seemed to be the only thing he  
could hear right now.  
  
"Fire on E-deck, port section!"  
  
"Engine room reports another 35 percent drop in the left rudder!"  
  
"We're taking on mass casualties!"  
  
"Our runway's been damaged, we can't take off or land!"  
  
"Damn, can't anyone give me any good news?" Harrington muttered. "Communication officer, any luck getting through the   
minovsky intererence?"  
  
"None, Captain. They're jamming us on all frequencies!"  
  
Harrington, despite himself, smiled. "Well, looks like this is the end."  
  
"Captain! Radar's detecting the approach of an unknown object."  
  
"I wonder why they're calling in reinforcements when they can just finish us themselves."  
  
"Incoming!" Captain Harrington's head snapped up. A large white robot with cannon barrels on each shoulder flew down and  
landed on the Enterprise's deck. The bridge crew stared at it in horror. Suddenly it turned and faced the attacking   
aircrafts. The barrels both fired a burst of energy that each destroyed a bunch of Desert Dictator aircraft.  
  
"What the hell?" Harrington asked. "That robot's defending us. Isn't it part of the enemy?"  
  
"The interference has stopped," the communication officer announced. "We're receiving a transmission from the approaching   
vessel."  
  
"On screen," Harrington ordered. On the monitor was an image of Commander Lucas.  
  
"I am Commander Noah Lucas of the Earth Federation ship Exalon."  
  
"The EF flagship," Harrington heard an officer gasped.  
  
"Richard Harrington, Captain of the Enterprise. Commander, mind telling me what the hell this thing on my deck is?"  
  
"It's a Gundam," Lucas explained. "More specifically, a Guncannon. It's twin beam cannons along with vulcan gataling guns  
in its head make it a perfect long-range weapon." The Guncannon used the vulcans to destroy the other aircrafts then  
assaulted the AMEC battleships with the cannons.  
  
"Captain, tell us what happened to Washington," Commander Lucas asked. "We arrive expecting to find EFHQ but   
instead found a siege line. What gives?"  
  
"We'll tell you, but only if you tell us how you got this Guncannon."  
  
"Captain, perhaps it would be best if we talked face-to-face."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon pulled up along side the Enterprise. A metallic bridge extended from the upper deck to the upper deck of the  
Enterprise. Commander Lucas, Lieutenant Commmander Okawa, and Chief Engineer Henry Kazuko were about ready to cross over.  
  
"Commander! Commander!" It was Ray and the other children. "Commander, can we come along?"  
  
"Sorry, kids, not this time."  
  
"Awww," Ray, Sonya, and Christopher said.  
  
Muro bent down and patted Ray on the head. "We need someone to stay behind and watch things here. Can you do that?"  
  
Ray eagerly saluted. "You can count on us."  
  
"You're pretty good with children, Muro," commander Lucas commented as they proceeded across the plank.  
  
"I have eight brothers and sisters, Commander, it just come natural."  
  
Approaching the hull of the Enterprise, they were met by Captain Harrington and two of his officers: a petite Asian  
woman and an overly-muscular male.  
  
"Good afternoon, Captain Harrington," Lucas greeted.  
  
"Commander Lucas, welcome aboard," Harrington returned. "Let me present my XOs. Commander Ming Xiao and   
Commander Harland Foster."  
  
"Lieutenant Commander Muro Okawa and Lieutenant Henry Kozuko. Well, Captain, I think we should get this meeting   
started." The group went into the Enterprise and proceeded to the mission room. Lee was already sitting at a meeting  
table. The walls were all decorated with one of three picture: a map of the world, a diagram of the ship, and  
(perhaps a painful reminder of the war) a list of casualties. But the casualty list was from three weeks ago so either  
the Enterprise was really behind or Commander Lucas' fears were realized.  
  
Lee rised from her seat as the group walked in. "At ease, Lieutenant," both Captain Harrington and Commander Lucas said  
at the same time. Lee was surprised, but sat down anyway.  
  
"Captain, I'd like to know how Washington fell to AMEC," Commander Lucas began. "We've captured the batallion from the  
siege line who gave us an uncredable story. I'd like to hear it from one of our side."  
  
"Very well. At ten-hundred hours last Friday, Washington's defenses were overpowered by an invading AMEC force. They  
then proceeded across the city destroying everything in their path. Six thousand people inhabited the city, now only  
a fifth remain.  
  
"My God," Henry gasped.  
  
"Our fleets were summoned to defend our outpost in Ireland," Commander Xiao, in her soft nearly perfect English-speaking   
voice, took over. "Over five battle fleets remained. Us, along with three other ships were the only ones who survived."  
  
"Was the distress call for real?" Muro asked.  
  
"We're not sure," said Hunter, an Australian from the accent. "None of our fleets returned or even checked in."  
  
"What about the Earth Federation Council?" Lucas asked calmly, although Harrington, being a more experienced officer,  
could see that Lucas was barely containing his anger.  
  
"Fortunately, they were able to escape through the underground catacombs and escape to a safe place. Sorry, but I can't  
divulge their location for now."  
  
"I understand."  
  
"Now, Commander, I indulged your curiosity, it's only fair that you do the same to me. Where did you get this...   
Guncannon."  
  
"The Guncannon was a piece of ancient technology," Henry began. "It's design is like the Zaku-type Mobile Suit used by  
the AMEC organization, but in fact it's specifically designed to counteract the Zaku. It's armor can withstand attacks  
from the Zaku and can counterattack with deadly force. It's a variation of the Gundam."  
  
"What makes this Gundam different from the others is its G-System, an artificial intelligence program that can   
understand, copy, and even counteract enemy's movements," Lee explained.  
  
"Lee here was one of the ones who discovered it in the mountains of Eastern Europe."  
  
"Commander, tell him about Koshiro," Muro whispered.  
  
"Captain Harrington, Koshiro Anaka, the Gundam Pilot, has fallen ill with decompression sickness. Do you have a  
chamber we can place him in?"  
  
"Yes we do. You may use it if you wish."  
  
"Thank you. In return, we'll give you all technical information regarding the Gundam as well as data obtained from all  
battles the Gundam has been in up until now. We were planning on sharing this information with the EF Council, but since  
they are unreachable at the moment."  
  
"Get him ready," Captain Harrington ordered. "It takes twenty-four hours for someone with the bends to fully recover."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Captain Harrington returned with Commander Lucas and the Exalon crew to prepare Koshiro to transfer to the Enterprise.  
Lee asked to stay on the Enterprise until Koshiro was out of the critical zone. As Koshiro was brought across on a  
stretcher, Commander Xiao oversaw it through the bridge's internal security camera.  
  
"I can't believe that such a sophisticated piece of machinery is being piloted by a child," she said. Captain Harrington  
stepped up besides her.  
  
"Commander Lucas told me that he is not an ordinary child," he commented. "He says he possesses abnormal reflexes and   
ingenuity. He managed to detonate an old underwater mine field to call the Exalon to the rescue."  
  
"But still, is it really wise to trust a military weapon in the hands of a child?"  
  
"Truthfully, no, but I wasn't the one who found it so by the rights of salvage, I have no power over what is done."  
Ming's brow scrunched up. True, she hasn't seen this Koshiro in action but she still thought it was a bad idea to put a   
child in danger.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Captain Garrett was receiving a status report. He was nonplussed (to say the least) when he heard about what Captain  
Raven's unit did.  
  
"So Raven has failed to hold our place in Washington. I guess it was to be expected."  
  
Leaning against a wall, Ben Hoshum, the Dark Messiah, humphed. "Trust military men to screw up a good plan. No wonder  
we've been losing so many battles, the help is incompetent."  
  
"Watch it, you two-bit space junkie, you just happen to serve under a military man."  
  
Ben was getting extremely irritated at Captain Garrett's insulting. All he did was state his opinion and Garrett jumped  
right down his throat. Well it's time for Garrett to get a taste of his own medicine.  
  
"Look, Garrett, I'm not a soldier. I'm only here because your boys promised good money. I've humored you with your plans  
and your strategies but even I have my limits. I'm sick of always losing to that mobile suit because of your commands.  
If this keeps up, I'm going to get out of here and leave you at the mercy of that EF ship."  
  
Garrett was ready to slap Ben Hoshum all the way back to the Side Wars but thought better of it. Whether he liked it or   
not, this boy was the only thing between him and EF prison and Hoshum knew that. That's why he was acting so smug.  
  
Ben turned around and started to leave the room.  
  
"Where are you going, Dark Messiah?"  
  
"To check my Mobile Suit. Someone tampered with it last time and I just want to make sure theydon't do that again."   
Captain Garrett looked indifferently at the boy and wondered how a kid turned out like such a badass.  
  
His pondering was interrupted by his terminal. He activated it and read the message that was for him. It was one line   
because that's the maximum length they can get out before the Earth Federation can intercept them. The fact that it  
was all in capital letters meant the message was one of importance.  
  
To: Garrett, F. Capt.  
From: AMEC Headquarters  
Re: Orders  
  
DELTA SOURCE HAS CONFIRMED EXISTENCE OF NEW FEDERATION MOBILE SUIT. WAIT FOR REINFORCEMENTS.  
  
"Wait for reinforcements," Captain Garrett repeated. "Like hell." Garrett activated the intercom. "This is Garrett, we  
have received orders to attack the Earth Federation, prepare to move out. Activate Battle Conditions." Garrett was  
feeling pretty lucky, he had a feeling that this time, the Federation Mobile Suit and Pegasus-Class will go down.  
  
In the cargo bay, Ben heard the warning lights go off. A technician called out to him, "Get into your Mobile Suit, we're  
going into battle."  
  
"Once more into the inferno," Ben sighed then climbed into Archangel.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Eighteen hours have passed since Koshiro was placed into the decompression chamber. The crews of the Exalon and Enterprise were given a chance to relax and gather their strength. Lee had lowered the Guncannon's hand to the water and now the children were taking turns jumping off of it into the ocean. They had no worries about drowning, considering how the   
Guncannon could catch them just as soon as they went under. Lee herself was sitting on the hand.  
  
"Hey," Muro called.  
  
Lee waved her to come down. Muro grabbed the wire that was normally used to lower the pilot of the Guncannon to the   
ground when the Guncannon was in standing position and slid down the arm into the hand. Once there, she quickly dipped   
her hands in the water to ease the rope burn. "Is it all right that you're doing this?"  
  
"Captain Harrington said he would warn us ahead of time if an attack came."  
  
Muro leaned against the Guncannon's middle cannon and watched as the children played in the ocean. "I'm surprised that   
you're here."  
  
"Well I'm not much of a swimmer."  
  
"No, no, I mean I'm surprised you're not with Koshiro."  
  
Lee blushed. "I... I'm sure the Enterprise's decompression chamber will do its job."  
  
Muro leaned against the Guncannon's middle finger, "You know, I'm worried about him."  
  
"You're worried about Koshiro?"  
  
Muro nodded. "With the exception of the children Keela takes care of, he's the youngest one on the Exalon. I'm afraid   
that we might be having a bad influence on him."  
  
Lee looked down at her feet. "Koshiro once told me that he was getting sick and tired of all the battling we had to do."  
  
"I don't blame him, it seems like we've been fighting this war forever."  
  
Lee nodded. "When I first met, Koshiro was so pissed that he was ready to fight me right there in the cave because of our  
part in the destruction of Scatterhaven."  
  
"Henry told me that when they first met, Koshiro threatened to squish the Commander with the B-Gundam."  
  
Lee stared at the older woman in shock. Then she burst into laughter which prompted a crossed look from Muro. "I'm sorry,  
Muro, it's just that under any other circumstances, that would actually be funny."  
  
Muro decided to change the subject, "I think I understand what you're saying. You're saying that we have only ourselves to  
blame for Koshiro's current situation."  
  
Lee nodded. "That's why I'm trying to be Koshiro's friend, to make up for all that we've put him through."  
  
Lee and Muro watched as Ray started waving his arms wildly. "Hey, something's got me, something's got me!" He cried.   
Sonya poked her head out from under water and started laughing. Ray lunged at her and she dodged. Lee and Muro laughed  
at there frolicking when a siren started blaring.  
  
"What's that?" Muro asked.  
  
"An intruder alarm!" Lee cried as she rode the wire up to the Guncannon's cockpit.  
  
"Children, over here!" Muro called. The children swam onto the Guncannon's hand and Lee lifted them back onto the  
aircraft carrier.  
  
"Hurry and get inside," Lee ordered.  
  
Captain Harrington's face appeared on a side monitor. "Our sensor buoys have detected unidentified objects entering our  
viscinity. They haven't answered our hails so we're forced to consider them enemies."  
  
"Here they come!" A bridge officer called out. Lee turned the Guncannon towards the sky. As the afternoon clouds cleared,  
a team of eight Zakus plus Archangel descended from a zenith point.  
  
"Oh, no you don't," Lee said pulling the target scope over her eyes. Her main cannons fired and caught a Zaku in the leg.  
The Zaku fell into the ocean. Lee fired her cannons a few more times but they all missed.  
  
Archangel landed first and swung a left hook at the Guncannon. The Guncannon, in turn,blocked and countered with   
a spinning backfist that Archangel blocked. From there, the battle erupted into a slugfest.  
  
"This new Mobile Suit is tough, I'll give him that," Ben commented. "But I am the DarkMessiah, and for the preservation of   
my forces, I will kill everyone in the Earth Federation if necessary!" Ben fired his shoulder cables which wrapped around   
the Guncannon's legs and dragged it down. Ben fired a series of slow but powerful punches to the Guncannon's mid-section.  
"Men, women, children! No Earth Federation dog shall escape my wraith!"  
  
Lee actually felt the armor of the Guncannon pushed in by the assault. Lee knew she had to do something, but what? By  
pure accident, her hand pressed down on a red button on the side control panel. Immediately, the Guncannon was covered in  
an electrical field. Because Archangel's cables were attached to it, it received the electrical field too, but the wrong   
end.  
  
Ben quickly released the cables and retracted them. "You bastaard!" He cried as he drew his double-ended spear.  
  
"Commander, I could really use a weapon about now!"  
  
"We'd loved to give you one, Lee, but we have our own problems," Commander Lucas said.  
  
On the bridge, Commander Lucas grunted from another Zaku hit and turned to Shinji and Henry. "Where's that new weapon  
you promised me?"  
  
"It's ready, but..." Shinji paused.  
  
Henry took over. "If we use it, the Enterprise could be caught in the blast. We'll lose them, the Guncannon, Lee, and   
Koshiro."  
  
"Damn! Get me a line to Harrington." Immediately, the Enterprise Captain appeared on the screen. "Harrington, you must  
abandon ship! Evacuate your people to the Exalon."  
  
"Never! I'll protect this ship to the end!"  
  
"Damn it, Harrington, this is no time for dramatics! You must abandon ship now! I..." Commander Lucas' eyes widened.   
"Captain, your starboard flank! A Zaku is about to..." The screen winked out. Commander Lucas looked out the window  
to see a Zaku blow half the bridge away. Lucas wanted to mourn their loss but he couldn't now, not when there was still  
a chance that some people could be saved. "Shinji, Tasha, Henry, get over there now and start evacuating the survivors to   
the Exalon."  
  
"Right," the three said.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The evacuation plan started smoothly. The survivors of the Enterprise began evacuating to the Exalon vie the bridge  
between the two ships.  
  
Commander Xiao had just evacuated the Medical Bay and was not going to check to see if there were any stragglers.   
Suddenly she hear a hoarse voice call out, "Help, me!" She looked around. A boy in a jumpsuit staggered into the   
hallway. Ming immediately realized it was the Gundam Pilot, Koshiro she thought he was called.  
  
"I... must get... to Gundam," he said.  
  
"We're evacuating the ship," she said matter-of-factly.  
  
"I must get to the Gundam," he repeated.  
  
Tasha came running around the corner. "Koshiro! What are you doing up?"  
  
"He just zombied into the hallway," Commander Xiao said.  
  
"Tasha... please, take me to the Gundam," Koshiro requested as Tasha draped one of his arms across her shoulders.  
  
"You're in no position to pilot anything," Tasha scolded.  
  
"There's a... Zaku attack, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes, Lee's taking care of it in the Guncannon."  
  
"Lee?" Koshiro pulled away from Tasha and began running down the hallway, or a weaker version of a run.  
  
Tasha huffed. "Men, they think they need to do everything. Oh, all right, let's go. Commander, can you help me?"  
Together, the two women began dragging the boy down the hallway. They managed to get up and started across the bridge  
when the trouble happened. First of all, they weren't alone, men and women were dashing across the bridge. Ming and  
Tasha struggled to bring Koshiro across when a Zaku started heading there.  
  
"Go, go, go!" Tasha cried. In a show of strength that didn't match her size, Ming lifted Koshiro onto her back and ran  
to the Exalon. Tasha drew her weapon and fired point blank at the Zaku's mono-eye. Of course, the bullets had no affect  
on it. The Zaku raised its heat hawk and sliced the bridge in half. Crew members began falling into the ocean.  
  
Commander Xiao literally took a flying leap and was caught by several crewmembers who had formed a human chain.   
Ming and Koshiro watched as Tasha plummeted down.  
  
"Tasha!" Koshiro shouted.  
  
To everyone's surprise, a cable lashed out and grabbed Tasha's waist. The cable retracted, and Tasha fell into Archangel's   
hand.  
  
Archangel held out Tasha to the Guncannon. It was clear what it was saying, let yourself get beat up or beat up  
by Archangel or the human might be hurt.  
  
"I have to get to the Gundam," Koshiro said. "Only then will I be able to save her."  
  
"Fine, but I don't know where it is, you'll have to tell me."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Lee saw what Archangel was planning. She didn't know what she could do. She stood down.  
  
Archangel actually placed Tasha down on the ground. Then started swinging at the Guncannon. Lee held her arms up in   
defense but no defense could prepare her for the kick Archangel landed square in her chest. If Lee wasn't wearing a  
harness, she would've probably been slammed right out of the Guncannon but as it was, she only bobbled around a bit.  
Lee started to take a step in to attack Archangel head on when she remembered Tasha, she looked down and saw the   
operator standing slightly to the left of the Guncannon's left hoot. One wrong step and Tasha could be crushed.  
  
Archangel didn't have any reservations, he continued pummeling the Guncannon like there was no tomorrow.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Inside the Exalon, Commander Lucas cursed. "There must be something we could do."  
  
"Commander," Victor called. "The Gundam's launch bay is opening!"  
  
"What?!" Sure enough, the two bay doors parted revealing the insides.  
  
Lucas scrambled to the communication consol, Lee's usual station. "Launch Bay, what's going on down there? Why have you   
opened?"  
  
"The B-Gundam is getting ready to launch," an engineer replied. "We have to open them up otherwise the B-Gundam   
could be irrepairably dammaged."  
  
Lucas swore again and opened another channel. "B-Gundam, you do not have authorization to launch. Shut down   
immediately! You do not have the skills!"  
  
"Yes I do." Commander Lucas was shocked. The voice was Koshiro!  
  
"Koshiro, what are you doing out of the decom chamber.  
  
"I promised that I would protect the Exalon and her crew and that's what I'm going to do."  
  
"But you still have decom sickness," Muro said joining the Commander.  
  
"I'll just have to live with it," Koshiro said.  
  
"Fine," Commander Lucas grumbled. "But don't expect any backup and if you get killed, you'll have noone to blame but  
yourself."  
  
"I know. I'll get Lee and Tasha then hurry back as quickly as I could."  
  
"Good luck, kid," Commander Lucas said quietly, then louder, "Launch B-Gundam now!"  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Lee and Ben also paused to see the bay doors open.  
  
{Why are they launching the B-Gundam?} Lee thought.  
  
"All units converge on that hangar," Ben ordered. "Don't let anything get out." Four Zakus hovered near the entrance   
way...  
  
And were promptly slice to pieces by an energy blade.   
  
The B-Gundam was catapulted out and slammed into Archangel throwing both Mobile Suits off the Enterprise. Lee, knowing a   
chance when she sees it, scooped up Tasha and jumped into the B-Gundam's launch bay.  
  
Archangel activated its thrusters and manage to return to the Enterprise's deck with the B-Gundam.  
  
"So you've finally decided to show yourself, Federation Mobile Suit," Ben said. "To tell the truth, I've prepared for  
your arrival, with a little surprise." Archangel's chest opened up and a cannon barrel poked out. A shaft of energy  
lanced out.  
  
"Beam shield!" Koshiro quickly activated the beam shield but it wasn't long before the blast destroyed the energy shield.  
The B-Gundam quickly twirled as the blast disintegrated the upper decks of the Enterprise.  
  
"That blast defeated the beam shield!" Henry gasped. Tasha came onto the bridge and took her station.  
  
"Welcome back," Victor whispered.  
  
"Thanks," she whispered back.  
  
"Tasha, Victor," Commander Lucas called. "Analyze that energy, I want to know what kind of weapon can overpower a beam  
shield!"  
  
"Right," they both said. And went about their work.  
  
Koshiro tried desperately to avoid the shafts of energy that emitted from Archangel's cannon.  
  
"Twins, what do you got?" Commander Lucas asked.  
  
"The beam shield is designed to repel bullets and minovsky particle weapons," Victor began.  
  
Tasha continued, "but that energy is neither bullet or MP weapon, it's using some other source of energy."  
  
"It's hard to figure out what it is though,it doesn't match anything in the database."  
  
"The G-System didn't realize that and therefore, couldn't defend against it."  
  
"Koshiro isn't strong enough to withstand against that sort of firepower," Muro commented.  
  
"Maybe he is," Henry said. "The G-armor, it might be strong enough to do that."  
  
"But I thought you said in your report that the thing was too heavy," Commander Lucas pointed out.  
  
"To move around, yes, but as a point defense, no problem."  
  
"So how do we get it to him?"  
  
"Duh!" Shinji cried. Lucas, Muro, and Henry all looked at him. "Henry, does the armor have laser lock systems?"  
  
"Yes, it does, that's how it's able to stay on the B-Gundam."  
  
Shinji turned rapidly to Tasha. "Tasha, can the locks be boosted somehow."  
  
Tasha put on that smile she was famous for, the smile that came just before she got a brainstorm. "If we take  
minovsky particles, use the transformers to turn them into electro-magnetic energy... yes, yes, YES! It could work."  
  
"What's your plan, Shinji?" Commander Lucas asked.  
  
"If we could control the locking mechanisms from here, we could send the armor to him through the catapult."  
  
"That's brilliant, Shinji," Muro commented. "But the trick is to distract that enemy Mobile Suit long enough for it to   
work."  
  
"Looks like we'll just have to tempt fate on this one," Commander Lucas said and opened a communication line to Koshiro.  
"Koshiro, we need to buy time for us to work out this little project we're cooking up. Could you..."  
  
"Sure," Koshiro said getting at what the Commander wanted done. He ducked low and tackled Archangel, throwing him   
into the water. "Hurry up, I don't know how long he can stay under there."  
  
"Just so it's long enough," Henry said making a few more adjustments to the catapult. "Ready whenever you are, Commander."  
  
Commander Lucas paused for just a second as Commander Xiao entered the bridge. "Launch G-Armor!"  
  
The catapult launched an armored package at the B-Gundam. The package separated and revealed itself to be a set of   
armor. A helmet, chest plate with broad shoulder plates, gloves, one with a big shield attached to it, and two tubes   
that fittedover the B-Gundam's legs. With abnormal precision, the armor fitted itself onto the B-Gundam. The chest   
plate blocked the entry hatch but Koshiro was fine with that. The V-shape spikes could be seen sticking out of   
the helmet.  
  
"Wow!" Ray gasped. He and the others had been standing quietly at the back of the bridge, but now they rushed forward  
to look at the B-Gundam's new look.  
  
"Hey, who let you children up on the bridge?" Commander Xiao asked harshly.  
  
"We're part of the crew," Sonya said proudly.  
  
"Crew?"  
  
"Of course," Muro said winking at the Enterprise's former XO. "They have an important role, they take care of the ship  
while we're away." Ming didn't understand the crypticity behind that.  
  
"It's so cool," Christopher said.  
  
"It looks like a knight," Sonya commented.  
  
"A knight," Ray parroted. "Hey, I just thought of a cool name for it: The Beam-Knight Gundam."  
  
Outside, Archangel leaped out of the water. Ben was seriously pissed off, not only at falling into the water, but that he  
fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book. He then noticed the B-Gundam's new look.  
  
"So that's why you did that, you wanted to get some more protection. Well, it won't do you any good." Archangel's stomach  
cannon fired again. The Beam-Knight Gundam held out its shield and, ducked behind it. The blast hit the shield, but  
unlike the beam shield, it didn't disintegrate, rather it began pushing the Beam-Knight Gundam back into the ruins of  
the Enterprise's tower.  
  
"You... won't... stop... me," Ben said. Suddenly an alarm sounded inside his cockpit. The constant firing was overloading  
Archangel's systems. Continuing firing could result in Archangel's destruction. Ben let out a curse and retracted the  
cannon. But it was too late, an explosion raked Archangel's insides. Archangel dropped to one knee.  
  
"All units, retreat," one of the surviving Zakus cried. Two more Zakus picked up the fallen Archangel and they all   
retreated.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The B-Gundam was retracted into the Exalon and the armor lifted from it. Koshiro climbed out of the cockpit and onto the  
upper catwalk. Lee was already there. She ran up to him and embraced him firmly.  
  
"Koshiro, I can't believe you went out there in your condition, you had me worried sick!"  
  
"Erk... Lee, your crushing me."  
  
"Oh, sorry." Lee released him. "But seriously, what you did was very dangerous... and very brave." Koshiro blushed and  
looked at the ground.  
  
Commander Lucas and Muro came in.  
  
"Welcome back to the land of the walking, Koshiro," Muro greeted.  
  
Commander Lucas said to him firmly, "You had us all worried, young man. You were lucky this time, but the next time I see  
you in that machine without confirmation from a Doctor, I'll boot you faster than you could say Gundam. Do I make myself   
clear?"  
  
"Clear... ergh..." Koshiro clenched his hip and smiled embarrassingly. "Clear as crystal, sir." The four laughed,  
mostly at Koshiro's flustered look.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon crew take on a new first officer as they get ready to travel again. However, the leader of AMEC believes that  
Captain Garrett is a loose cannon, and scheme to have him killed with the help of Ben Hoshum.   
  
Next episode: Conspiracy.   
  
Who will die? 


	13. Conspiracy

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon saved the aircraft carrier Enterprise from an attack by Desert Dictator forces. In return, the Enterprise  
agreed to let the Exalon crew use their decompression chamber to heal Koshiro. Ben Hoshum attacked, captured Tasha  
and almost defeated Lee. Koshiro escaped the decompression chamber and used the new Beam-Knight Gundam to defeat  
Ben.  
  
[Title: Conspiracy]  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Their name was the Alliance of Middle Eastern Countries. They first surfaced in the year UC 297 as a minor faction  
uncontent with the polices of the Earth Federation. The robots that came to be known as Zakus first came on the  
scene one year later and have been the deciding factor in many combats ever since.  
  
Their headquarters were located in, coincidentally, the former country of Saudi Arabia and their territory extended  
as far west as Nigeria, as far north as Mongolia, as far south as Ethiopia and as far east as the western end of China.  
  
Their leader was a person by the name of Seamus Asif.  
  
She was only twelve years old.  
  
Seamus came to power two years after conflict first erupted between the Earth Federation and the AMEC. Her father, Naram   
Asif, was assassinated by a mercenary hired by the Earth Federation. Because she had not yet come of age, an advisor  
was appointed to her to help her carry out what was believed to be the ideas of her late father. This advisor was deemed  
Second Prime-Minister, Nicholas Howard. Howard was actually once part of the Earth Federation but he was dissatisfied  
with their way of doing things so he defected.  
  
Right now, Seamus and Nicholas were discussing a matter of utmost importance, Captain Ferdinand Garrett of the Zeon.  
For the past few weeks, he has been launching unauthorized attacks on the Earth Federation flagship, despite warnings  
from them of the (obviously more powerful) Mobile Suit that the Earth Federation acquired.  
  
"I am getting nervous, Prime Minister Howard," Seamus said, sitting back in her throne, kicking her legs in an almost  
comical manner. "As much as I hate the Earth Federation, Garrett must not be allowed to continue operating with near-  
absolute power."  
  
"I highly agree, Miss Seamus," Nicholas agreed. "In our encounters, he has needlessly destroyed over two dozen Zakus.  
Our forces are expanded enough without him sending men and women to their doom. What do you intend to do about it?"  
  
"Honestly, I'm not sure," Seamus said ashamed. "He has proven victorious on several campaigns, but..."  
  
"Then this is where I come in, Miss Seamus. Captain Garrett is a loose cannon, he is more interested in his pride and  
glory than the interests of our re... public." Howard almost used the word regime, but Seamus didn't like such evil  
terminology. "He must be disposed of."  
  
Seamus looked at Howard with a frightened look. "Kill him? But..."  
  
"Miss Seamus, we are in a war here. Deaths happen every day, but Garrett is needlessly increasing that number by the  
hundreds! He must be destroyed!"  
  
Seamus lowered her head again. "You are right, Second Prime Minister."  
  
"Miss Seamus, please do not think my curtness is directed at you, I am simply emphasizing the situation at hand."  
  
"Of course, and I agree that Captain Garrett must be eliminated, but how?"  
  
This was the opportunity Howard had been waiting for. "With your permission, Miss Seamus, I have a strategy that might  
rectify that situation."  
  
"I'm listening," Seamus said.  
  
But before Howard could begin, a soldier came rushing in. Genuflecting, he said, "Please forgive my intrusion, Prime  
Minister, but we have established contact with Ben Hoshum, the Dark Messiah. He is currently waiting on secure channel  
G-4."  
  
Seamus looked at Howard. She could tell when the Second Prime Minister had did something behind her back. But she  
turned to the soldier and said, "Thank you." She pressed some buttons on the arm rest of her throne.  
  
The area in the center of the throne room became a huge view screen which produced a 3-D image of the boy, who   
was almost Seamus' age. Howard had heard jokes about how Seamus actually has feelings for the young rogue, but he was   
pretty sure that they were just that, jokes.  
  
"I am here, Prime Minister."  
  
"Dark Messiah, Second Prime Minister Howard and I have been discussing the actions of Captain Garrett. Seeing his actions  
first hand, do you agree with the conclusion that he must be eliminated."  
  
"If I may say so, Prime Minister, at the very least, he must be removed from command."  
  
"That's what I thought you'd say," Seamus said. She didn't like the idea of killing Garrett, but both of them agreed so  
she had to go along with their conclusion.  
  
"Mister Hoshum, I have devised a strategy that might remove him from command on a... permanent basis."  
  
"I'm listening," Hoshum said neutrally.  
  
"We have agreed that the Earth Federation Mobile Suit is a force to be reckoned with."  
  
"I can definitely destroy it, if not for Garrett's stupidity," Ben boasted.  
  
"We know you can, Ben," Second Prime Minister Howard said. "But do you think Garrett can?"  
  
"Are you suggesting sending him on a suicide mission?" Ben asked. Seamus felt her breathing stop for a second. She   
realized that she was conspiring murder, something that went totally against her father's policies. But, truthfully,  
she was afraid of Howard and Hoshum, afraid of what they might do to her if she showed signs of rebellion.  
  
"Yes, that's exactly what I'm suggesting. It would get him out of the way, help our cause, and fool him into thinking  
that he's doing something important all at the same time."  
  
"I see," Hoshum realized. "Either he succeeds in the mission and helps our cause or he dies and rids us of a nuisance.  
No big lost."  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Very well, what do you want me to do?"  
  
"We're currently sending you our newly produced Mobile Suit, the Gauf. You will trick Garrett into thinking that this   
weapon will destroy the Federation Mobile Suit. You will corner Garrett and allow the Federation Mobile Suit to  
destroy it."  
  
"Sounds like a plan," Ben commented. "But what's to keep Garrett from calling in reinforcements to help him."  
  
"The Gauf has one main flaw," Howard said. He smirked. "It lacks a communication system."  
  
Ben nodded, then looked back to Seamus. "Prime Minister Asif, what is your opinion of the plan?"  
  
Seamus was taken aback, surprised that Ben would ask her opinion even though it seems like they were already set on  
going ahead with the plan. "Go... go ahead and do it. Check back in forty-eight hours even if the plan hasn't  
started yet."  
  
"As you command, Prime Minister." The image disappeared. Howard turned back to Seamus. "Rest assured, Miss Seamus,  
you are doing the right thing."  
  
"I hope so, Second Prime Minister Howard, I hope so."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Commanders Noah Lucas and Ming Xiao walked into the Exalon's Sickbay, which was already overflowing with the injured.  
The Exalon had no choice but to throw the dead and dying overboard. The ones in the Sickbay were all gravely injured  
including the Enterprise's commanding officer.  
  
Captain Richard Harrington laid on the table, half his face was bandaged. His arm was in a sling.  
  
"How are you feeling, Captain?" Commander Lucas asked.  
  
"Kind of makes me glad I'm not in the infantry," Captain Harrington said hoarsely.  
  
"We have destroyed what was left of the Enterprise," Commander Xiao informed him, all business as usual. Commander   
Xiao's lack of personal communication skills was something Harrington always admired about her. "We are still trying to   
decide what to do next."  
  
"Head to Ireland," Captain Harrington said. "With any luck, that's where the rest of our forces would be."  
  
"Right," Lucas agreed. "We'll try to get some help for you and the others along the way."  
  
"Wait," Harrington called. "Lucas, there's one last thing I want you to do."  
  
"If I can do it, I will, Captain."  
  
"You're going to need... all the help you can get. I want you to incorporate the... surviving Enterprise members as crew  
of the Exalon. And... I want you to take Commander Xiao... as your executive officer."  
  
"Captain, you can't," Commander Xiao protested. "I'm your XO."  
  
"Not any more. I'm not exactly at command position here. And besides, Lucas is going to need all the help he can get.  
And I can't think of anybody else better suited for the job." Harrington broke into a coughing fit.  
  
Commander Xiao's brow scrunched up. Becoming a crew on this rag-tag ship (that was Xiao's name for it because the crew  
were anything but formal and professional) was not something she wanted to do.  
  
"Ming," Harrington addressed. "I know this isn't what you want to do, but in these darkened times, we need everybody to  
work together, otherwise... we will be destroyed by AMEC. Please, Ming, do this for me."  
  
"As you wish, Captain."  
  
Once Xiao and Lucas exited the Sickbay, Lucas said, "Might as well ask Muro to set a course for Ireland."  
  
"Commander," Xiao said sharply. "Look, let's get one thing straight, the only reason I'm coming along is because it was  
Captain Harrington's orders. I hold no likeness towards you or anybody on this... thing. As soon as we get to Ireland,  
I'm asking for a transfer off this circus-for-a-ship."  
  
"As you wish," Lucas simply replied and headed off for the bridge.  
  
For some reason, Xiao was beginning to develop a hatred for him.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Still no sign of the flagship?" Captain Garrett asked for the sixteenth time.  
  
"No, sir," the officer replied, beginning to get irritated with Garrett's constant hovering.  
  
"Captain," Ben Hoshum called as he walked onto the bridge. "You have a priority message from Prime Minister Asif."  
  
"What?!" Garrett wondered why Prime Minister Asif would be contacting him now.  
  
"Minovsky Interference minimal," the communication officer noted. "Activating receiving link."  
  
Asif and Howard both appeared on the view screen.  
  
"Captain Garrett, how goes the campaign against the Earth Federation flagship?" Asif asked.  
  
"I'm afraid it goes poorly, Prime Minister. The Earth Federation forces are much more powerful than we originally   
realized."  
  
"I thought so," Asif said. "So we are sending you our new weapon, the Gauf. And I want you to pilot it."  
  
"Me?!" Garrett gasped. "I... I'm honored you would trust me with such an ability, Prime-Minister Asif."  
  
"We want you to pilot it in the next battle. I trust you won't fail us, Captain Garrett?"  
  
"I'd stake my life on it, Prime Minister."  
  
"Very well. Good luck, Captain. Expect the Gauf in two days time." The transmission ended.  
  
"Duty Officer, let me know when the transport carrying the Gauf is within range."  
  
"Aye, sir."  
  
As Garrett started to leave the bridge, he said to Hoshum. "This is it, Ben, this may be our instrument of victory."  
  
"Yes, sir," Ben agreed, but in his mind, he was thinking, Or the instrument of your demise.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Seamus hated herself for what she just did. She just condemned a soldier to death, for being a failure. She begun to  
feel like the Earth Federation that she hated so much.  
  
"I hope I'm doing the right thing," she said.  
  
Second Prime Minister Howard put a hand on her shoulder. "Trust me, Miss Seamus, it's for the best."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Commander Lucas had gathered the bridge crew, Koshiro and even Keela and the children to explain their new orders and  
introduce their new officer.  
  
"Captain Harrington and I have reached an agreement," he began. "We are to head for Ireland and try to assess the  
condition of the Earth Federation forces. Right now, we are forced to assume that the Earth Federation government no  
longer exists." That piece of information was responded to by murmurs. "Until we see proof otherwise," he continued,  
"we have to reach the conclusion that we are the only EF ship left and that all other forces have been rendered  
incapacitated by enemy forces. As such, we all must work ever diligently to reach our destination without incident. With   
that in mind, I would like to introduce our new executive officer, Sub-Commander Ming Xiao." The title Sub-Commander didn't   
mean a demotion in rank. Technically, they were the same rank, the 'Sub' prefix was simply used to differentiate  
between who was in charge and who was second-in-command. "I would like you to show Sub-Commander Xiao the same  
respect that you show me." Ray sneezed. Xiao scowled at him with hawk-like intensity. Ray sinked back to behind Keela.  
  
"Henry, Koshiro, I want you two to go over the ins and outs of the B-Gundam. We're going to need to find out everything   
that it does, so that we can use it to its full potential. Tasha, Victor, Shinji, I want an easy method to firing our  
main weapon. Muro, work with Ming to plan out a safe and fast route to Ireland. I want to avoid AMEC as long as possible."  
  
"Sir," they all saluted.  
  
"Then let's get to work, people. The quicker we move, the quicker we'll be there." As the crew set out to go about their   
duties, Keela went up to the Commander and asked to talk to him alone. Lucas agreed but Sub-Commander Xiao listened in.  
  
"Commander, I'm worried about the fate of the children and myself. You were originally going to drop us off at Washington,  
but now the EF government seems to be in a state of disarray."  
  
"I understand your concern."  
  
"So what do you have planned for us?"  
  
"We're going to have to drop you off in New York City before we cross the Atlantic," Xiao said firmly. "Of course  
normally we wouldn't even do that, but..."  
  
Lucas put out an arm signalling her to be quiet. Then he turned to Keela and said, "we're not dropping you anywhere, at  
least not until we get to Ireland."  
  
Keela nodded. "Commander, with your permission, I'd like to assist Koshiro and Henry with the B-Gundam."  
  
"Of course. Also, take an inventory. I need to know if we need to stop off for supplies or not."  
  
"Yes, sir." As Keela and the children left the bridge, Commander Lucas took his own seat. Sub-Commander Xiao went up  
the steps at least to the point where they were eye-level.  
  
"Commander, I find it inappropriate that you're revealing Federation secrets to a civillian, and a child none-the-less."  
  
"she already has seen the B-Gundam when we were forced to make a crash-land in her village. Plus she seems to have  
extensive knowledge of it."  
  
"What? How?"  
  
"Keela is from the Space Colonies."  
  
"I don't understand, what does that have to do with knowing about the Gundam?"  
  
"From her rather cryptic clues, it seems like Gundams are farely common in space. Her information has been right so far  
so I trust her knowledge in the same aspects as I trust yours, Sub-Commander."  
  
Xiao felt like she was just slapped in the face. the Commander just referred to her as a child, didn't he? She wanted to   
tell him off right there, but he was technically her superior officer and she didn't want to seem mutinous.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Two days passed by slowly for a lot of people. Captain Garrett was anxiously waiting to receive his Gauf Mobile Suit.  
Ben Hoshum was anxiously waiting for the plan to kill Garrett to proceed. Prime Minister Asif and Second Prime Minister  
Howard were also waiting for the plan to commense, though only one of them was particularly anxious.  
  
And on the Exalon, a good part of the crew were anxiously waiting for the day where Sub-Commander Xiao would take her  
leave of them. For the past forty-eight hours, she had been circling over them like a hawk, criticizing everything they   
did. The ones who were the specific targets of this was Muro Okawa and Keela Nyoko. Commander Lucas knew that she was  
suspicious about having a civilian on the EF flagship, but why she would hold a grudge against Muro, Lucas had no idea.  
  
But Commander Lucas had more important worries than social relationship between his new XO, and the rest of his crew.  
Keela had confirmed his worst fears, the strain of taking care of the Exalon Crew, the Captives from Washington, and the  
Enterprise survivors was taking its toll on their food supplies. They would have to re-supply soon or else they  
wouldn't last for another month.  
  
Still, things weren't entirely bleek. Commander Lucas took a big risk allowing Keela to participate in the analysis of  
the B-Gundam, but it paid off, because Keela provided them with some incredible information, including about how the  
Gundam could survive even in deep space. Now, they were investigating the possible advantages of space combat.  
  
Sub-Commander Xiao came storming onto the bridge. "Commander, sir, you need to talk to your Gundam Pilot."  
  
Commander Lucas wasn't surprised by this. "Oh?"  
  
"Yes, he is boardering on insubordination."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"He... he said..."  
  
"Yes, go ahead and say it, Sub-Commander, unless it's something of a personal nature and you'd rather tell it to Tasha or   
Lee."  
  
"He said that he thinks that I could take down five Desert Dictator ships just by ordering them to blow up." The others  
had to contain their laughter. "Commander, you are giving him too much leeway simply because he can operate that damn   
robot!"  
  
"Sub-Commander, I am perfectly aware of Koshiro's rambunctious attitude, but until that rambunctious attitude gets us in  
danger, I'm willing to let it slide."  
  
Sub-Commander Xiao quickly realized that she was acting childish. She took several deep breaths, saluted and quickly  
went over to an empty control panel.  
  
"Commander Lucas, I'm picking up some large MP disruption," Tasha called out breaking the uneasy silence that settled  
in the wake of the Sub-Commander's complaint.  
  
"They're on the move," Commander Lucas decided. "Battle Stations! Lee, get Koshiro and prepare to move out.  
Sub-Commander Xiao, you will assume Lee's station until she returns."  
  
"If she returns," Muro heard Xiao mutter.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"The Flagship is taking the bait," an officer announced.  
  
"This is working out better than I imagine," Captain Garrett said. "Now we have the opportunity and the means." He  
turned to look at the Mobile Suit before him. It was neon blue, with a row of spikes along one shoulder and a horn on  
the forehead. He turned to look at Ben. "Follow me, Dark Messiah, and I will show you what a true victory is."  
  
Ben sneered behind Garrett's back. _I'll follow you, but the only thing you'll show me is how a foolish man dies_.  
  
Ben got into Archangel and followed Garrett's Gauf out. Outside, the B-Gundam and Guncannon were making quick work of  
the Zakus (which wasn't really surprising, since the Zakus were all piloted by rookies, assigned by Garrett).  
Garrett took on the B-Gundam.  
  
A cable similar to Archangel's came out of the Gauf's wrist. The Gauf tried to whip the B-Gundam but the B-Gundam  
activated its beam shield. The Gauf pinned down the beam shield arm as his metal tentacle wrapped around  
the B-Gundam's waist. Koshiro felt the B-Gundam's armor groan as the cable tightened.  
  
"Shoot," Koshiro said. "How can I withstand this?"  
  
Suddenly a hand clamped down on the Gauf's cable. The Guncannon stood between them. Lee activated its electrical field.  
Unfortunately, she shocked both the Gauf and the B-Gundam.  
  
Lee activated an intercom link to the B-Gundam. "Sorry, Koshiro," she apologized.  
  
"It's all right," Koshiro replied. "Hey, what happened to that other Mobile Suit?"  
  
"I don't know. We exchanged fire for a few seconds then he disappeared. Aaah!" The Gauf had a quick recovering ability   
and was now pummeling the Guncannon with its whip. The Guncannon quickly ducked away as the B-Gundam fired its vulcan   
cannons. The vulcans had no effect on the Gauf. Koshiro tried to get up but Garrett pinned him down.  
  
From his hiding place, Ben couldn't believe what he was seeing. It seemed like Prime Minister Asif's plan might fail.  
But then again, the Federation's Mobile Suit might get destroyed. Unless the Gauf was disabeled, there would be no way  
to get rid of Garrett. That was the plan all along, to kill Captain Garrett. As much as Ben hated to do it, he would  
have to aid the Federation Mobile Suit.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
On the Exalon, the crew could only watch in horror as the B-Gundam struggled against its adversary.  
  
"Damn it!" Garrett cursed as the Gauf continued its merciless assault. "Isn't there anything we can do to help him?"  
  
"Yes there is," Henry replied. "Our new MP weapon is ready. We only need to get the B-Gundam and Guncannon out of the   
way."  
  
"Sub-Commander Xiao, contact them and order them to withdraw."  
  
"The Guncannon can withdraw easily," Xiao explained. "But the B-Gundam is pinned down."  
  
"Come on, Koshiro," Muro encouraged. "You can do it!" Meanwhile, Sub-Commander Xiao brought up the B-Gundam's file.  
She quickly scanned it and found something. It was time to invoke some advice that her old martial arts instructor  
used to tell her, with a few twists.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro felt as if he was the one being punched. For some reason, he couldn't convince his body that it was the B-Gundam  
that was being attacked and not him. How was that? Finally, the Gauf hit a critical point. Koshiro cried out in pain.  
  
"Koshiro! Koshiro, listen to me!" Koshiro struggled to open his eyes. Was it his imagination, or was Sub-Commander  
Xiao calling to him. "Koshiro, listen, you must use the G-System. It can organize the counterattack for you."  
  
"Easier... said than done."  
  
"I understand, Koshiro, believe me, it's hard, like trying to do several tasks at once. But you must stay strong and   
utilize your own powers to succeed. Summon your own power and join with the B-Gundam. You are not a human and robot,  
you are one being, one essence, one entity."  
  
Koshiro concentrated. He could feel every system of the B-Gundam, every circuit, every single control, like it was him  
and not the B-Gundam. Unknown to anybody, his body began to glow a strange neon green aura.  
  
Koshiro opened his eyes and noticed that a metal pole ejected from the Gauf's arm and extended to form a spear.  
Koshiro saw the crack that served as the spear's holder and the circuitry inside. He fired the Vulcans.  
  
Whether by luck or accuracy, the bullets from the Vulcan penetrated the crack. The right arm exploded and fell off.  
  
"You shall pay for that!" Garrett cried as he quickly switched the spear to the other hand. He then grunted. He forgot  
about the cannon Mobile Suit that just destroyed his jet pack. But that didn't detour him. He got ready to deliver the  
final blow to the B-Gundam.  
  
Ben saw his chance. His back two cable spikes dove underground and came up from under the Gauf. It wrapped around the  
Gauf's legs. Garrett looked down and saw them.  
  
"What the... Hoshum, what's the meaning of this!" Archangel didn't answer him. Garrett searched frantically for a  
communication control but couldn't find one. He suddenly realized what was going on, Hoshum wanted to kill him! And he  
couldn't call for help because there was no communication panel. He was being betrayed from within!  
  
The metal panel that was between the two launch bays lowered to reveal a double-barrell cannon. The cannon began   
glowing, like it was drawing energy from everything around it. Suddenly an intense beam of energy shot out of the   
cannon. The Guncannon flew down and picked up the B-Gundam, getting him out of the way of the beam.  
  
Garrett screamed his lungs out but there was nobody around to hear it. He could only watch as the beam headed towards him.  
  
The entire upper half of the Gauf disintegrated. What was left fell down. Koshiro looked up and saw Archangel. The two  
Mobile Suits stared each other down. Each pilot could feel the strength emitting from the other.  
  
Ben knew that this would probably be his only chance in a long time to destroy the Federation Mobile Suit. Neither the   
Flagship nor the other Mobile Suit would have the power to stop him. Yet... yet he didn't want to do this. Despite his  
nickname "The Dark Messiah," Ben wasn't as heartless as others would believe him to be. Instead, he retracted his cables  
from the legs of the Gauf, and ordered the surviving Zakus to gather up the surviving pilots and return to the Zeon.  
Ben himself also took off.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Back on the Exalon, Koshiro stood on the upper catwalk, staring at the B-Gundam. It looked like someone took a giant-size  
meat masher to it but other than that, it looked fine. But the dents and exposed circuitry were the last things on  
Koshiro's mind.  
  
"Hey," Lee greeted him, still in her flightsuit.  
  
"Hey," Koshiro returned.  
  
"Well, that was one hell of a battle," she said leaning on the rail.  
  
"I guess so, but..."  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
"You know the Mobile Suit with the spikes on it? Well it actually prevented the other one from getting away."  
  
"I wonder why," Lee commented. "You think there was some power struggle going on between the two."  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised if it was. But... it's strange, Lee. I don't know what happened, but somehow, I could feel the  
B-Gundam getting injured."  
  
"Maybe it's some sort of feedback from the interface helmet."  
  
"Maybe." {_Or maybe it's something more_.} "Lee, can you keep a secret?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"I... I don't know who I am any more." Before Lee could ask Koshiro to clarify, Commander Lucas and Sub-Commander Xiao  
entered the launch bay.  
  
"Koshiro, thanks. You distracted the Mobile Suit enough so that we could fire our weapon."  
  
"I think the thanks should go to Sub-Commander Xiao," Koshiro said. "If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have been able to   
score a direct hit. I..." Koshiro scratched his head. "I guess I was out of line with that blowing up ships by  
ordering them crack. I apologize, ma'am." To everyone's surprise, he saluted her.  
  
"I... well... I... I'm sorry too. I still don't like the fact that a civilian is piloting an Earth Federation weapon,  
but... if that's the case, then I'm glad it's you."  
  
"So are we all," Commander Lucas agreed. "Come, I'd like you two to debrief us on the battle."  
  
"Commander," Lee called. "I... I'm not feeling well. May I give my report later on?"  
  
"I think we should wait a while and give Koshiro and Lee time to recover before debriefing them."  
  
"Of course, XO. Get some rest, you two." The two nodded and headed off to their respective quarters."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Garrett has been killed by the Earth Federation," Ben Hoshum informed Prime-Minister Asif and Second Prime-Minister   
Howard.  
  
"Understood," Howard replied. "I'll send recall orders."  
  
"Aye-aye." Ben's face disappeared from the view screen. Howard turned and looked at Asif. Her face was stoic and   
unresponsive. He turned back to the view screen as the shadow of a female form appeared.  
  
"Delta Source, we are initiating step two of the operation."  
  
"Understood," the mysterious woman known only as Delta Source replied in a hoarse voice  
  
Howard took one last look at Seamus and left.  
  
As soon as the doors closed, Asif broke down and cried. She had become what her father had despised so much... a murderer.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
While the Exalon travels to Ireland, the Terran Alliance get ahold of their new Mobile Suits, the SU-16 Gunsniper. They  
immediately test them out by attacking the Zeon as it travels back to home territory. And a deeper plot unfolds as the  
crew of the Exalon discover that there might be a traitor among them.  
  
Next episode: Test Run.   
  
The playing field will be evened. 


	14. Test Run

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Captain Ferdinand Garrett of the Desert Dictator ship Zeon is no more. He had been betrayed by the very organization  
that he served. Ben Hoshum, known as the Dark Messiah for his gruesome combat record, backed him into a corner  
allowing the Earth Federation flagship to destroy him. The plan, created by Second Prime-Minister Howard and approved  
by Prime Minister Asif herself, was to trick Garrett into fighting a losing battle against the Earth Federation Mobile   
Suit. Obviously, the plan succeeded.  
  
[Title: Test Run]  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
With Garrett gone, there was no need for the Zeon to remain at their current location. It was getting ready for their  
next mission. The Zeon's XO was a man by the name of Samuel Gaylord (Sam to everyone else), was in charge.  
  
As for Ben Hoshum, the only AMEC trooper to oversee the death of Captain Garrett, he was down tinkering with his Mobile   
Suit, Archangel. Through maintenance logs, Ben was able to conclude that it was Captain Garrett who sabotaged   
Archangel almost making him crush a child. Despite his nickname, Hoshum would never harm a child, even he had enough   
dignity to distinguish civilian from soldier.  
  
"Mister Hoshum," an officer called up to him. Despite all the Zaku pilots that Garrett sent to their doom at the hands  
of the Earth Federation Mobile Suit, there were still some soldiers left on the ship. "We have a transmission from  
Prime Minister Asif."  
  
"Tell communications to transfer it down to my Mobile Suit," Ben instructed.  
  
"Yes, sir." As the officer set out to his duty. Ben withdrew a portable communication consol from a compartment in  
Archangel's cockpit. He set it up on Archangel's leg. On the mini view screen was an image of Prime Minister Asif.  
  
"Hello, Dark Messiah," she greeted formally.  
  
"Prime Minister Asif, the plan has succeeded. Garrett is dead."  
  
"I see," Prime Minister Asif said morbidly.  
  
"Prime Minister, forgive me if I'm stepping out of line, but are you upset about something?"  
  
"I'm feeling a little... disappointed about Captain Garrett's death. My father always said to protect all life and now...  
I went and killed a man, for failing against a force we had no idea about in the first place."  
  
"Garrett was a good soldier, but he was a little too ambitious for his own good. He took control of my Mobile Suit without   
my permission, Prime Minister Asif. If we allowed him to continue, he would send more soldiers to needless deaths,  
maybe even start a coup."  
  
"You're right, Dark Messiah. I guess I just needed to be assured that what I did the right thing."  
  
"Whether it was right or not, it had to be done. That is the leash that binds leaders to their roles for life."  
  
Prime Minister Asif couldn't believe what she was hearing. It sounded like something her father would say. "Ben, I know   
you have no real alleigence to us, but... I would like to make a request of you."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Please, I would like to hire you as my bodyguard."  
  
"Bodyguard?"  
  
"I'm afraid, Ben. I'm afraid of what the Earth Federation might do to me. They killed my father, they might come after  
me next. I would feel more comfortable with you guarding me."  
  
Ben pondered his options. Now that Garrett's gone, he would be technically out of a job, and to tell the truth, it was  
fun fighting the Federation Mobile Suit. He wasn't ready to retire just yet. "If that is what you wish, Prime  
Minister Asif, then I shall agree to become your bodyguard."  
  
Seamus' eyes immediately lite up. "Oh thank you. Please rendezvous with me at headquarters as soon as you can."  
  
"I shall leave today. Good-bye, Prime Minister." Ben shut down the communication device and stored it. He quickly ran to   
his quarters and gathered up what little belongings he had. "Activate the catapult, I'm leaving."  
  
"Yes sir," the man said. As Archangel took off, Ben spied the Earth Federation flagship. He hovered there for a moment  
staring at it.  
  
_We shall meet again, Federation Mobile Suit, he thought. And then you shall be destroyed.  
_  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Any sign of the ship?" Commander Lucas asked Lee Moshiro.  
  
"Yes, sir, but it appears they're doing nothing."  
  
"Good enough for me. I guess they need time to lick their wounds from the last battle. Let's take off."  
  
"Aye-aye," called helmswoman Muro Okawa. As the Exalon began to take off, she took one last look at the United States.  
Once, it served as a strength for all who desired peace and justice. Now, it was in turmoil. The very heart of the  
Earth Federation was shattered.  
  
But what about all the people left behind, the people without a government, without anything to defend them from   
interlopers? They were like sheep, gentle souls who needed someone to guide them. Muro hoped... no, prayed that one   
day, the Earth Federation would rise again.  
  
In his quarters, Koshiro Anaka, the Gundam Pilot, slept fitfully. He's been having nightmares, nightmares about a faceless  
woman stabbing him in the chest. He also dreamed of the Guncannon and Archangel. He awoke just as the faceless woman  
was about to stab him again.  
  
Koshiro ventured out into the hallway. For some reason, he went into the secondary hangar, where the Guncannon   
was kept. Koshiro noticed that the Guncannon had been detailed. It was now dark blue with a large white starburst   
in the center. Around its left arm was the word Starlight. So Lee had decided to name her Gundam as well.  
  
"Attention all hands," Commander Lucas' voice sounded over the loudspeaker. We are now ready to venture to Ireland to   
search for any EF forces that survived. Our travel time, due to the lack of fuel from firing our main weapon, will be  
two days. In the mean time, everyone try to get some sleep. This will probably be the only time we'll get to relax for a  
while. That is all."  
  
Koshiro leaned against the wall on the upper catwalk. He thought about all that has happened to him over the past few   
weeks. It still pained his heart to recall Scatterhaven's destruction. Even more, he thought of Paiyako, his best  
friend since childhood, who was now part of the Terran Alliance, an organization dedicated to subduing both the Earth  
Federation and the Desert Dictators. And possibly even destroy him.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Ah-choo!"  
  
The sneeze attracted the attention of the AMEC guard and he turned to take a look at the really young-looking  
technician.  
  
"Ghesuntight," he said. Then stared at her. "Wait a minute... Miss, how old are you?"  
  
The girl turned towards her and blushed. She had deep blue, almost violet, eyes. "This is my first day, sir."  
  
"How old are you?"  
  
"Um... 19, sir."  
  
"Oh. You look much younger. Let me see your ID card." The technician reached into her shirt pocket and drew out an ID   
card. The guard looked at it, then handed it back to her. "I'm sorry, we've been receiving reports of bandits on the  
outskirts. We can't be too careful."  
  
"Oh, sure, no problem," the technician said still smiling.  
  
"Well... don't linger." Keeping her in a corner of his eye, the guard went down the hallway and turned a corner. Once  
he was out of sight, she took out a walkie talkie. "This is Paiyako."  
  
"What's your status?" Sasari Mei asked.  
  
"I'm inside. Where do I go from here?"  
  
"Head south until you reach a set of double doors. There should be all sorts of warning labels on it so it shouldn't be  
hard to spot." Paiyako followed Sasari's directions and sliced the card that Hacker made for her.  
  
"I'm here!" She called to Sasari. "The Generator Room."  
  
"Hurry and set the charge," Sasari instructed. "The workers will be back from their break."  
  
"Right." Paiyako reached into her jacket and withdrew a small cylinder with a cable attached to it. She attached the   
cylinder underneath a control panel and plugged the cable into a jack on the panel itself. "Charge is set."  
  
"Hacker says to set the timer for five minutes. Any longer and they could figure out how to shut it off."  
  
"Right." Paiyako programmed the timer and slipped out of the Generator room. She started to head back the way she came.  
But voices appeared from around the corner. "Oh crap! The workers are back early! Sasari, what do I do?"  
  
"Calm down, Pai. Hacker says to..." Sasari was interrupted by a high-pitch whining noise. Paiyako quickly realized  
that she was being jammed. Fortunately, they prepared for this eventuality. Paiyako smashed her walkie talkie and swept  
the pieces to the side. She then ran back to the Generator Room. Once there, she looked around for a place to hide,  
but the circular room produced no alcoves or closets.  
  
It did, however, have an air duct. Paiyako opened up the grate and climbed in. She gently closed it just as the  
workers began piling in. She waited for a minute to make sure they didn't spot her or the device then began to crab  
walk her way up the shaft. Once there, she made her way through the metal tunnel. About two minutes into her journey,  
she heard an alarm. AMEC must've figured out that there was a terrorist in their midst. Which meant she had to hurry.  
She moved through the ducts until she came to a drop shaft. She landed but her feet hitting the duct shaft made a sound.  
  
"Hey, did you hear that?" One of the guards headed over to the grate where Paiyako was.  
  
"Forget about that, it's probably just a squirrel," a bodiless voice answered back. "We need to report to our stations   
anyway." As the guard and his disembodied companion left, Paiyako saw her chance. She dove out of the air duct and ran  
across the front lawn. She leapt the short wire fence and took off into the forrest.  
  
Paiyako could hear footsteps behind her. The sound of gunshots confirmed that it wasn't a friend. Paiyako could only run   
faster. To her great relief, she heard the sound of tires screaching on the dirt floor. Mileena pulled up in front of  
her in a jeep. Paiyako dove in and the jeep rushed off.  
  
"I hope this thing is faster than a speeding bullet!" Paiyako said.  
  
"Don't worry, kid." Mileena pressed a button on the stearing wheel and the wheels folded down under the vehicle. The jeep  
became a hover car. The car escaped the guard but the sound of metallic foot-steps replaced the human footsteps. It was  
a Zaku and it was heading towards them rapidly. Paiyako ducked underneath the seat. "Hang on!" The hover car was  
approaching a waterfall that was against a mountain range. Mileena warned Paiyako to hold her breath as she drove the  
hover car through the waterfall. On the other side was a cave, the perfect size for the hover car but too small for even  
a Zaku hand.  
  
The hover car stopped when they were deep enough to not see the waterfall.  
  
"Oh yeah, another successful mission," Paiyako said slapping her partner's hand.  
  
"Yup, let's go back to base before the Dumb Squad decide to send in smaller troops." Leaving the hover car, Mileena  
and Paiyako continued into the cave on foot. When they got to the end of the cave, they leaned up against the wall.  
The wall rotated moving the girls into a passage way that served as a tunnel for the Terran Alliance.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Good job," Sasari Mei, the Dark Scorpion, congratulated. "Their systems are frying even as we speak. That should  
set them back a few years."  
  
"That's good," Mileena said. "But I think a Zaku followed us."  
  
"Even if that's the case, they wouldn't be able to find their way here."  
  
"So what's our next mission?" Paiyako asked.  
  
"Don't be in such a hurry, Paiyako," Sasari said. "Mission planning takes time. Get some rest and I'll let you  
know when something comes up."  
  
"Sasari, Sasari!" A man known as Hacker, Sasari's second-in-command and computer expert came running up to the two  
women and the girl. "A message. They're ready."  
  
"Finally," Sasari said.  
  
"What's ready?" Paiyako asked.  
  
"Our new Mobile Suits."  
  
"Wow, that was quick."  
  
The Terran Alliance had long ago formed a secret pact with the Colonies that exist in Earth's orbit. Unlike the Earth  
Federation and AMEC, who believed that no colonists existed anymore. The colonies provide the Terran Alliance with   
supplies in return, the Terran Alliance promised to dismantle the Earth Federation government and return the planet to the  
way it was. No AMEC with their raids, no Earth Federation military enforcing their rules on the planet, no Mobile  
Suits, nothing, just peace and quiet.  
  
Sasari Mei had gotten hold of blueprints for a Federation Mobile Suit. Although the blueprints were over 200 years old,  
Sasari has observed the Federation Mobile Suit, called Gundam for some odd reason, in action. If one Federation Mobile  
Suit could destroy a whole platoon of Zakus, then imagine what 3 Mobile Suits, with some modifications, could do.  
  
"When are they scheduled to arrive?"  
  
"Tomorrow. We're supposed to meet at the touch-down point at N3145, E1407."  
  
"All right. Paiyako, Mileena, you'll come with me. We'll use the Core Cycles to get there."  
  
However, the Terran Alliance wasn't the only ones who got the message. An Earth Federation camp that was set up  
specifically to intercept transmissions also received the message. General Graystone called his top commanders  
in to discuss it.  
  
"Mobile Suits? What are those?" One Commander asked.  
  
"I think he means those giant robots that AMEC has," another replied.  
  
"If we could get our hands on even one of those, it could prove valuable," General Graystone commented. "Ready our forces.  
We'll initiate a snare maneuver. Get as many DBs as possible." DBs stood for Double Barrells. Like the name suggested,  
they had two cannons intead of one, placed on each side of them. This particular camp had only five of them,  
not even half the required amount. This was because it was a small camp, with only twenty compliment including  
officers. They were going all out just to keep these Mobile Suits from falling into the hands of terrorists.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The next morning, Sasari, Paiyako, and Mileena took off towards the drop-off point on their Core Cycles.  
  
"Are you sure it's wise for just the three of us to be going out like this?" Paiyako asked.  
  
"It'll be safer. This way, we'll have more of a chance avoiding the Earth Federation and AMEC." Paiyako tightened her  
grip on the Core Cycle's handles. They rode until they were in a field region about a mile in all directions. They  
stashed their core cycles underneath some shrubbery and sat on the outskirts of the field.  
  
Soon, a loud humming filled the sky. A box-looking transport landed right in front of them, almost knocking Mileena over  
and blowing Paiyako's bandanna off. Two more transports like it landed. Paiyako was especially in awe at seeing them.  
She couldn't help but think that if Koshiro was here, he would love seeing stuff like this.  
  
The large crates attached to the transports opened up. Inside each of them was a blue Mobile Suit. It had the general  
design of the Gundam, but it was considerably shorter. What was most noticeable was the giant gun that was attached to  
the mobile suit's shoulder and held in the right hand, extending almost the entire length of the arm. They were each  
down on one knee, their gun arm pointed outwards.  
  
"They're beautiful," Mileena commented. As the transports began lifting off, a large energy blast destroyed them.  
Sasari, Paiyako, and Mileena each ducked behind a Mobile Suit to protect themselves from falling debree. "What happened?"  
  
"We're under attack!" Paiyako cried. Sasari took out her gun and fired in a random direction. It was responded by a  
hail of machine gun fire. A DB tank plowed out of the forest along with EF soldiers.  
  
"It's an Earth Federation attack force!"  
  
"Let's get inside these things," Sasari suggested. Metal rings slid out from the leg as Sasari climbed them onto the Mobile  
Suit's horizontal leg. With almost lightning-quick speed, she ran across the legand into the cockpit. She felt a stabbing   
pain in her back but ignored it. She sat in the pilot seat and tried to figure out the controls. She discovered that the  
levers in front of her controlled the Mobile Suit's movements. She pushed them forward and the Mobile Suit stepped forward,  
crushing an Earth Federation soldier that was too careless.  
  
Using the distraction to their advantage, Mileena and Paiyako quickly climbed into their own Mobile Suits.  
  
"Okay, Paiyako," Paiyako said to herself. "You can do this. It can't be too hard. I mean I'm sure a child could pilot   
this thing." She pressed a button and accidentally fired the arm cannon at the ground. The blast caused a small crater  
around her. "Oops." Paiyako's Mobile Suit climbed out and saw a tank heading in her direction. This time, she was able  
to aim her cannon and blow the tank onto its back.  
  
Mileena was handling her Mobile Suit like a pro, most likely because after piloting a Zaku, this was an ease. She already  
destroyed two EF tanks and was going for a third. The third tank quickly fired at it. Mileena held up her free arm  
which had a large panel on it, assumedly a shield. Fortunately, it was enough to deflect the blast.  
  
Sasari shook away a kink in her back as she fired her cannon again. It literally blew several EF soldiers away.  
"Paiyako, Mileena, listen, we can't waste our time with these drones, we need to stop them at the source. Follow me."  
Like the B-Gundam, these new units had limited flight ability. The three Mobile Suits flew into the sky. Sasari used  
the scanning system to locate the base.  
  
Sasari is so good at piloting this robot, Paiyako thought. I wonder... the only way someone would become that good  
is if they had experience. Could... could Sasari be a former AMEC pilot? No, that can't be true. If it was, Mileena  
would've heard of her. It must be something else. But what else could it be? AMEC had the only expert Mobile Suit  
pilots around, didn't they?  
  
Paiyako was distracted from the Earth Federation tank that snuck up behind her. It blasted her and she fell.  
  
"Paiyako!" Mileena cried flying down to help her.  
  
"Mileena, protect her!" Sasari ordered. "I'm going for the base." In a series of short leaps, Sasari's Mobile Suit was  
on the outskirts of the EF camp. "This is for Paiyako!" Sasari devastated a building. "And this is for the hell you're  
putting the people of Earth through!" She destroyed something that looked like a control tower.  
  
General Graystone couldn't believe his eyes. "Evacuate the base! Evacuate!" Soldiers began running for their lives.  
Only about a third made it out before Sasari decided to destroy the main building.  
  
What was left of the Earth Federation base's company were running for the hills. Sasari decided tolet them go. She didn't   
want to appear totally heartless. She felt a pain in her back again and this time, she rubbed it.  
  
Her back felt sticky.  
  
Sasari pulled her hand away. It was covered in a red substance.  
  
Blood. She was bleeding.  
  
"Oh," she muttered.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
They returned to the base of the Terran Alliance. Sasari laid on her back, her shirt off, as the Doctor stitched up  
the wound.  
  
"You're lucky, Sasari," the doctor commented. "The bullet only grazed your back, and away from any major organs. Yes,  
you're very lucky."  
  
"Oh yeah, I'm so lucky," Sasari said sarcastically. The Doctor applied some ointment to the wound before leaving.  
  
"No doubt word of our attacks have reached the government of the Earth Federation," Paiyako said as she hooked Sasari's  
bra together.  
  
"I hope it does," Sasari said pulling her shirt on. "I want them to know that we are not to be taken lightly." Sasari  
got off the bed and left. Paiyako followed her.  
  
Paiyako found Sasari up on the surface, staring up at the night sky (she was sitting of course, laying on her back would  
irritate the wound).  
  
"Sasari?" Paiyako asked meekly. She had to ask. "May I ask you a question."  
  
"Sure, Paiyako, go ahead."  
  
"Sasari, the way you handled that Mobile Suit today was incredible. You almost seemed like a natural at it. So... what I'm  
trying to ask is... have you piloted a Mobile Suit before?"  
  
"You're wondering if I was once a part of the AMEC army?" Paiyako blushed and nodded her head. "I don't blame you for  
being suspicious."  
  
"So... are you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then... where did you learn to pilot a Mobile Suit so easily?"  
  
This time, Sasari did lay on her back. She ignored the pain in her back, like she ignored all her pain. "To tell you the  
truth, I'm not really sure. It just feels natural. I know I'm not part of the AMEC army, nor was I at any point in my   
life."  
  
"But that doesn't make any sense. The AMEC are the only ones who can pilot Mobile Suits with such efficiency."  
  
"I know. I feel like I'm missing something, something important, but I don't know what."  
  
"I'm sorry. I probably touched something I shouldn't have."  
  
"Don't worry about it. Actually, that's kind of the reason why I formed the Terran Alliance."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"True, I want to see the Earth Federation and AMEC disbanded. True, I want to return Earth to its old ways, but perhaps...  
if I do, I'll discover something that I've lost or forgotten. And somehow, the robots called Mobile Suits play a big  
part in it."  
  
"Sasari... I hope you discover what you seek."  
  
"Thanks, and I'm counting on you to help me avenge the destruction of Scatterhaven."  
  
"You can count on me."  
  
Sasari smiled. She could recall a time when Paiyako was always so kind and helpful. And now, she's using those  
attributes to help her in her battle against the Earth Federation. Sasari felt... reassured.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The next day, Sasari, Paiyako, and Mileena stood in front of their Mobile Suits.  
  
"I received some info from the Colony that produced these," Sasari said. "These are called Gun Snipers. Their   
primary talent is long-range combat. Their beam cannons can destroy two city blocks with pinpoint accuracy."  
  
"Gun Snipers." The name left a bad taste in Paiyako's mouth. She recalled the lettering on the B-Gundam's armor.  
"Hey, I know, let's give then nicknames. The Federation Mobile Suit had one, no reason why we can't do it either."  
  
Sasari and Mileena looked at each other and shrugged. It sounded pretty childish, but on the other hand, they'll need  
some way to tell them apart.  
  
Sasari had Hacker bring up three spray-paint cans. She climbed up onto hers. "I'm naming mine Terra, seeing as how  
we are the Terran Alliance."  
  
"Vengence," Mileena decided. It was easy to see why. She was betrayed and she wanted revenge.  
  
Paiyako sat on her leg, trying to decide what to name her Gun Sniper. She wanted it to be special and significant to her,  
if nobody else. She finally decided on a name.  
  
Paiyako began spraypainting a 'K' followed by an 'O', 'S', and an 'H.' She would decide to name it after the one who  
meant a lot to her.  
  
"Koshiro."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon arrives at Ireland and discovers the surviving forces of the Earth Federation. Commander Lucas prepares a  
report to the Federation Council on the B-Gundam. But even more mysteries rear their heads up.   
  
Next episode: Status Report.   
  
They must study the past to understand the present, and to prepare for the future. 


	15. Status Report

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
----------------------  
  
The atmosphere on board the Earth Federation flagship Exalon was one of extreme tension. The bridge crew was  
constantly staring out the forward view window. In the back of the control room was Koshiro Anaka, the Gundam Pilot,  
and Keela Niyoko along with the children that she took care of.  
  
[Title: Status Report]  
  
"How much time left?" Commander Noah Lucas asked Helmswoman Muro Okawa.  
  
"Two minutes," she reported.  
  
"I think I see land," Ray cried out. Keela hushed him. But sure enough, land could be seen in the horizon.  
  
Commander Lucas turned to communication officer Lee Moshiro. "Begin."  
  
Lee nodded and put on her headset. "To any Earth Federation forces who are hearing this, please respond, this is the  
Exalon. I repeat, this is the Exalon to any and all EF forces."  
  
There was a long silence. Then a ship appeared. It was modeled similar to the Exalon, but on a smaller scale.  
  
A scratchy voice came over the loud speaker. "This is the outer patrol ship Zenith, state your alleigence."  
  
"Zenith, this is the Earth Federation flagship."  
  
There was another long pause. For a moment, Lucas was afraid that they wandered into enemyterritory. Then the voice   
replied, "Exalon, please stay on course, we'll lead you to EF Headquarters." The entire bridge crew cheered.  
Even Sub-Commander Ming Xiao felt a sigh of relief.  
  
---------------------------  
  
Commander Lucas sat in his quarters with a tape recorder. He was preparing his report for the Earth Federation Council.  
  
"Status Report by Commander Noah Lucas of the Earth Federation ship Exalon. Current date is April 24th, Universal  
Century Year 300. What started as a normal re-supplying turned out to be an experience none of us expected..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Sir," called Lieutenant Muro Okawa, the helmswoman. "We're locked down."  
  
"Good. Let me tell you something, Muro, this is getting old very fast."  
  
"Resupplying, sir?" Muro asked casting a side glance. Even though the man was 44, the tide of war was taking its toll  
on him, making him look almost twice his actual age. Muro couldn't blame him.  
  
Noah chuckled. "No, I mean this war. Ever since the Terrorists found those... what are they called again?"  
  
"Zakus I think," Muro filled in although she wasn't exactly sure on the name. Robots like those were thought to have  
been lost long ago in the aftermath of the Side Wars. Since then, the only time they have heard of them was from  
intel reports and even those were sketchy to say the most.  
  
"Whatever those things are called, the DD have been using them and have been butchering ourforces. I hate to say it,   
Muro, but I fear Earth is doomed."  
  
"Hey, that's not the Noah Lucas that I know."  
  
"Sorry, 'Ro, it's..."  
  
"I know, it's affecting me too." Noah smiled. The two had been serving together for so long it was like they could  
read each other's thoughts.  
  
"Commander Lucas," one of the officers called from the upper observation deck. "Captain Richards on comm."  
  
"All right, let's see what that desk jockey wants."  
  
"Nice to see you too." The small monitor in front of the bridge showed a man who could've been Noah's younger brother.  
"I see life on that luxury liner hasn't dulled your sense of humor."The "luxury liner" was actually a Pegasus-class   
ship.  
  
"Reed, not that I'm glad to see your face, but is this a social call?"  
  
"Getting down to business as always, George." 'George' and 'Reed' were nicknames that the two called each other.   
Richards' actual name was Stephen. The two just loved to insult each other but they were actually good friends.  
"Just need to know how long your ship will need resupplying."  
  
"Twenty minutes," Muro whispered.  
  
"Twenty minutes," Noah relayed. "Why, eager to see us off?"  
  
"Don't take it personal, but intel's gotten whispers that an AMEC squadron is on this way. We're generating MPs   
but I don't think it will make much difference if they see us. Imagine if they find the flagship of the fleet here."  
  
"It would be a tempting target," Noah grumbled. "All right, as soon as we're refilled, we'll get out of here.  
Got any other requests? Want me to pick up take-out while we're in the area."  
  
Richards laughed. "I wouldn't mind, but I'm sure cook would."  
  
"Anything for you, Reed, I'll tell the crew not to wander far."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"As it turned out, it was only a patrol. Certainly no match for the flagship of the Earth Federation... or so we thought.  
We had a handicapp though, we were fighting over a town."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Commander," Muro called. "There are a couple of children standing between us and the Zakus."  
  
Commander Lucas picked up the phone that served as his intercom. "Gunners, target the Zakus but be careful, there are  
civilians in the area."  
  
The blasts of the Exalon struck one of the Mobile Suits. It fell to the ground before exploding. Koshiro covered Paiyako  
with his body from the rubble.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We thought the battle was over after that, but we were wrong, as we soon found out when we returned to the scene   
of the battle, the town of Scatterhaven. As it turned out, AMEC had set a trap for us."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"This is for you, Naram!" She cried. She swung her axe down, destroying the cannon.  
  
On the bridge, Shinji called out, "Cannon 14 has been destroyed."  
  
"Sensors are picking up Zakus all around us!" Tasha reported.  
  
"It was a trap," Lucas realized. "They must've known we would return and layed in waiting for us. Deploy all weapons! Do  
we have any Core Fighters?"  
  
"Sir, we have one but it's mostly designed for transporting," Lee informed.  
  
"Not good enough. Deploy all weapons!"  
  
The Exalon returned fire. a stray shot from one of the Exalon's deployed cannons destroyed an entire city street.  
Another stray shot from a Zaku destroyed a building. Fire began engulfing the whole town. You could hear the screams  
easily.  
  
Commander Lucas grunted as the ship was hit with another barrage.  
  
"Sir, over 83% of our weapons have been destroyed," Shinji reported.  
  
"Looks like we have no choice. Muro, take off!"  
  
"But sir, what about the Zakus?" Lee asked.  
  
"He who turns and runs away lives to fight another day, Lee," Lucas recited.  
  
"Sir, there might be another way," Henry argued. "If we turn our engine on at full capacity, the jet fire let out by the  
engine might be enough to destroy them, or at least scatter them enabeling us to take off. What do we have to lose?"  
  
"At this point, nothing. Do it, Henry!"  
  
Outside, the engine began powering up. As predicted, the exhaust fire destroyed a couple of Zakus and caused the rest  
to scramble for cover.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``  
  
"It seemed rather bleek for us, but then we received help from an unlikely source."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Koshiro smiled, seeing his friend heading towards the road that lead over the mountains. He turned to the Zaku.  
Picking up a rock, he threw it with all his might towards Mileena's Zaku.  
  
Incredibly, it made a dent in the armor. Mileena's cyclo-eye swirled to face Koshiro.  
  
"Over here, you giant tin can!" Koshiro called out waving his arms. "Come on, come and get me, you bucket of bolts!"  
  
Mileena's temper flared. "Nobody comes between me and my revenge!"  
  
Koshiro continued his taunting unaware that Mileena could hear him. "I've seen tricycles with better movement than that  
rust bucket! You might as well join the Federation because you sure aren't going to make a good enemy of them!"  
  
That was the last straw. Mileena leaped off of the Exalon and rushed towards Koshiro.  
  
"Mileena, get back here and attack the Pegasus-class," the Base Commander ordered.  
  
"I would never join the Federation, they are my sworn enemy!" Mileena took her machine gun and fired a stream of bullets.  
Koshiro rolled to the left. When Mileena swung her gun to take aim again, he dove right between the legs and doubled  
back towards the Exalon. It took Mileena a moment to realize the human was gone and turned around.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Commander Lucas sat in his chair and kicked his shoes off. "I felt grateful for the kid's help  
and decided to return the favor by sending a rescue for him."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
A wall of fire came rushing at Koshiro. He quickly threw himself to the ground. To his surprise, the fire passed over him.  
  
"Hey, kid, get up," a voice called to him. He looked up to see a red and blue plane landing right next to him. The  
cockpit hatch opened and a figure wearing a flight helmet looked out at him. The outline of the figure suggested it  
was female, but any other features were obscured by the helmet. "Come on, get on. They'll be throwing another particle  
detonator soon and this time they won't miss."  
  
Koshiro saw the Zaku getting ready to throw another round sphere, probably the particle detonatorthe pilot was talking  
about. He really didn't want to get caught up in the war between the Earth Federation and the Zakus but at that moment,  
he realized he didn't have much of a choice. He climbed into the seat behind the pilot.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"The rescue was successful but was forced down in a mountain range it was there where the kid and the pilot found  
something remarkable, something that changed the lives of everyone, including me."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Koshiro and Lee came out into a huge underground loading bay. It was about as big as a football field. The ground was a  
smooth metallic surface. A catwalk led around the entire area. Bright lights shone from the ceiling.  
  
They were stunned by that, but not as stunned as they were when they saw what was in the center of the bay. A large  
humanoid robot bended down on one knee, his left arm resting on the same knee, his head lowered like he was in some sort  
of thinker position. The head had what looked like gun barrels on each side of the forehead. It had no eyes, just two dark  
eye slits. In place of a mouth was some sort of metal mask. A large crest was at the center of its forehead. The body  
was rectangular and gray. Two vents on each side of what looked like some sort of door. The left arm had an arm band  
with the registry RX-83 on it. His back had some sort of pack on it with two large metal poles sticking out the top.  
Other than that, there was nothing remarkable about it.  
  
Behind it was another robot. This one looked more like a giant football player with two cannon barrels on its shoulders.  
Although it was shorter and detailed differently from the first one, it was clear that they were made the same. Both were  
stark white.  
  
"My God, what are these thing?" Lee asked.  
  
"I was hoping you could tell me," Koshiro replied mimicing her tone of voice.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"According to the records found at the facility, the robot that they found was called a Gundam. While the name was  
virtually unknown to me up until now, it was clear that it was based on the same design as the robots that AMEC uses,  
the Zaku." Commander Lucas paused. Why was it that the Earth Federation's databanks had no information on the   
Gundam up until they discovered it? From its state, it looked like it's been waiting there for years. What   
happened? What happened in the past that caused everyone to forget that such a powerful assett even  
existed? Well... not everyone. Commander Lucas had knowledge from a journal one of his ancestors wrote.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
"Come on, Tash," Victor Lenard said. "Just one game, come on."  
  
"No way, Vic, we're still on duty," Tasha Benson protested.  
  
"It'll only last for five minutes."  
  
"They said the same thing about AMEC."  
  
"Ouch."  
  
"Hey, you two behaving up there?" Lee Moshiro called jokingly from below. "Don't make me bring out the hose!"  
  
"Yes, Mom," the Twins replied also jokingly. They had a good laugh on that.  
  
Tasha deactivated her terminal and said, "I'm going off-duty now. Join me?"  
  
"You bet, let me just finish up some work."  
  
"All right." With a wink to her partner, Tasha walked down to the lower deck. Victor concluded his study on the  
composition of the minovsky particles.  
  
Suddenly the computer pointed something out that Victor hadn't noticed before, the composition results. They weren't  
normal. The wheels in Victor's head began turning. He finally reached a conclusion, this was suspicious and  
merited further study.  
  
Victor was sad that he wasn't able to join Tasha for a bite to eat that night.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
"The kid took to the Gundam like a pro," Commander Lucas continued his report. "It was like the Gundam was made for him  
specifically, or that he was born specifically to pilot the Gundam."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Here they come!" Lee warned. Koshiro looked up to see the robot he fought earlier descend from the sky along with  
five Zakus.  
  
"Don't give them a chance to attack," Commander Lucas instructed. Koshiro nodded as the Gundam rushed forward and   
punched one of the Zakus in the face. He then grabbed the Zaku's arm and twirled him into one of his comrades. He   
assaulted a third with his vulcan cannons. That Zaku blocked it with his arm the counter-attacked with his   
machine gun.  
  
"Beam Shield!" Koshiro commanded. A blue energy shield came on on the right forearm. He used it to deflect the  
bullets.  
  
"Stand back, you morons," Ben called to the Zakus. "He's mine." Archangel drew a metal pole. The metal pole extended to  
a double-edge spear. The Gundam also took out a metal pole, the energy sword (Commander Lucas said it was called a  
Beam Saber) and ignited it. Archangel swung one end of the spear which the Gundam blocked with the Beam Saber.  
Archangel came at him from the other side with the other end. The Gundam raised the Beam Shield to block that.  
  
"Fool, he shouldn't have opened himself up like that," Hoshum commented. Suddenly two cannon barrels popped up from the  
shoulders and fired. The Gundam fell back. Archangel fired the cannons again. The Gundam turned and caught the blast  
in the back.Suddenly the Gundam threw the Beam Saber. It twirled around and sliced Rashad's Zaku in half. The Gundam  
followed through with its vulcan cannons. It caught a Zaku in the mono eye and it fell as well. The Gundam turned and   
pulled on the cables with all his might. Archangel began being dragged towards the Gundam. The cables came apart from  
Archangel's body. The Gundam threw them off and took out another beam saber. Igniting it, it leaped up and got the  
remaining Zakus in one incredible slice. He then turned on Archangel. Archangel blocked the Gundam's initial attack  
but it was clearly showing signs of fatigue despite the fact that it was a machine.  
  
"It's over!" Koshiro declared and leaped into the air and kicked Archangel in the head. The large Mobile Suit fell.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~```  
  
"Whatever the reason, he was going head-to-head against the best of the best in no time." Commander Lucas paused his  
recording as he let out a loud yawn. He then put it on again. "The history of the Gundam is one of mystery. But  
apparently, there was one who seemed to have previous knowledge of the Gundam. Her name was Keela Niyoko and   
according to her, she was from..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"What was your home?"  
  
"A space colony called Side 7."  
  
Tasha dropped her bowl. "Side 7?"  
  
"You're telling me you're from space?" Muro couldn't believe it.  
  
"Why are you so excited, it's not that big of a deal."  
  
"We thought all colonies were wiped out long ago."  
  
"No. Actually, when I came to Earth, I stowed away on a supply shuttle. There were plenty of Colonies left."  
  
"When was this?"  
  
"Let's see... I'm 15 now, so I guess it's been about five years since I left Side 7."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We agreed to take her and the survivors of her village to the United States. However, our plans changed the moment we  
arrived at the United States coastline."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Smoke was billowing from the land. Smoke that came from fires, large inferno-type fires.  
  
The coastline was devastated.  
  
"Commander Lucas, what happened?" Christopher asked.  
  
"I... I don't know. Victor, Tasha, systems to maximum power."  
  
"Yes, sir," the Twins said as one. They began programming their consols. Above the bridge on the ceiling, a view screen  
appeared. It showed hundreds of buildings that were destroyed. The Washington Memmorial was cut in half. The statue at  
the Lincoln Memmorial lost its head and half its pillars. And the headquarters of the Earth Federation, formerly known  
as the Pentagon, was nothing but rubble.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"As it turned out, the Desert Dictators have somehow invaded and destroyed the Earth Federation Headquarters.  
We never even got a distress call if there was one. With Koshiro out of action, and battle looming on the horizon,  
Lee Moshiro utilized the secondary Gundam that we found in the facility."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`  
Lee was running towards the port loading bay, where the second Gundam was. It was small and somewhat stocky. It   
had two big cannons on each of its shoulder. It looked like a football player.  
  
Lee stared at it. This was it, this was how she could stop the attack, but was it battle ready?  
  
"Engineer!" She called to an officer working on a control panel. He turned towards her, a little shocked. "What's the  
status of that Gundam?"  
  
"You mean the Guncannon?"  
  
"Yeah, that, is it battle ready?"  
  
"I guess so, although nobody has really tried..." Without waiting for him to finish, Lee ran towards the Guncannon.  
Like the B-Gundam, it was down on one knee waiting to be called to battle. Lee climbed up onto the horizontal knee and  
walked across to the cockpit area.  
  
"Hold it!" The engineer called. "You're not authorized..." But Lee was already disappearing into the cockpit.  
Unlike the B-Gundam, the Guncannon had a set of view screens that lowered into position blocking the entrance door which  
was already closing. The Guncannon stood on both feet.  
  
"Muro, status," Commander Lucas called.  
  
"Ready for take-off, Commander." Muro was wearing a gray flight suit and the B-Gundam interface helmet. "The helmet is a  
little tight."  
  
"That's because it was meant for a fifteen year old boy, not a twenty-six year old woman," Henry cracked.  
  
"Watch it, pal, I got a beam rifle here and not afraid to use it."  
  
"Can the chatter you two," Commander Lucas ordered, but he could see that Muro and Henry were trying not to act   
so nervous. He didn't blame them. "All right, launch B..."  
  
"Wait!" Came a new voice. Lee's voice. Her face appeared on a small monitor at the front of the bridge. "Commander,  
the B-Gundam isn't properly equipped for this sort of battle."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Commander Lucas asked.  
  
"The B-Gundam is specifically designed for close-range combat. We need a weapon that is long-range."  
  
"What weapon do we have with that capabilities?"  
  
"The Guncannon in the port docking bay."  
  
"The what?!"  
  
"It's the second Gundam that we recovered from the facility. It's capable of long-range combat. Don't launch the   
B-Gundam."  
  
"Now wait just a minute..." Commander Lucas began.  
  
"I'm still the field commander here, aren't I? Well let me do my job then. Release the Guncannon."  
  
Commander Lucas sighed. He hated to admit it but she was right. "Henry... cancel the B-Gundam launch, prepare to launch  
the Guncannon."  
  
Muro sighed. Unknown to anybody except herself, she smiled. She was wondering when Lee would come to her senses.  
  
The launch bay opened. The Guncannon stepped onto the catapult. The Guncannon was launched.  
  
The Commander of the siege line looked through his buinoculars as the Guncannon touched down almost flawlessly.  
  
"What the devil is that?" He asked. It looked like a Zaku, but completely remodeled which made it... what? Not a Zaku?  
Unfortunately, he didn't have any Zakus and the Zeon wasn't scheduled to arrive for another day. He would have to use  
what he already has. "Channel all weapons on that Mobile Suit that was ejected from the Pegasus-class."  
  
Tons of missiles and guns fired at the Guncannon. The Guncannon held its arms up in defense. Smoke swirled around it  
and when the dust cleared, the Guncannon stood unharmed.  
  
"My turn," Lee announced. She pulled over the targeting scope and looked through it. She aimed the cannons at the missile  
launchers first and fired. Two shafts of energy came out of the cannons. The recoil almost pushed the Guncannon into  
the Exalon but the blasts were right on target.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"After assessing the situation at headquarters, we made our way here..." Commander Lucas paused again. Then he started  
again, "The Mobile Suit Gundam design has proven victorious in multiple battles against enemy forces. I suggest that we  
continue to use the Gundam designated B-Gundam as our main offensive line against AMEC. If possible, we should start   
mass-producing them. This may be our one and only chance to defeat AMEC and take back Earth. End report."  
  
Commander Lucas got up and stretched. He hadn't realized how late it was. Taking trips down memory lane is more time  
consuming than he thought. His door knocked and when he opened it, Muro appeared with a tray of food.  
  
"Um... Commander... hi... the cook said you didn't show up for dinner so I thought I'd bring some down to you."  
  
"Yes, thank you, Muro. I was merely preparing my report for the Earth Federation Council. I guess I lost track of time.  
Will you like to join me?"  
  
"Thank you, sir, I'd be honored." Commander Lucas set the tray down and began digging in. Muro filled a cup of tea  
that she got from his cabinet. "Have you finished the report?"  
  
"Yes, I have."  
  
Muro sat down across from him. "Have you reached any conclusions?"  
  
"As a matter of fact, I have." Commander Lucas ejected the tape. "I think this whole Gundam business is just the tip of  
the iceberg. Something happened in the past that caused all records of it to disappear including memories. And   
Koshiro..." Commander Lucas trailed off.  
  
"He is one incredible kid," Muro commented. "Just a month ago, he was hell-bent on destroying us, now he's actually a  
good friend. I'm glad."  
  
"So am I, 'Ro, so am I." And the two continued to eat dinner together, just enjoying each other's company.  
  
--  
Commander Lucas goes to see the Earth Federation Council. A demonstration of the B-Gundam's abilities is put on for the  
council. Prime Minister Asif asks Ben Hoshum to ascend to an important position in the AMEC government. Meanwhile, the   
Earth Federation Council discuss the possiblity of a traitor among them. Next episode: Confrontation. The greatest battles  
are fought within. 


	16. Confrontations

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
[Title: Confrontation]  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Commander Noah Lucas, Sub-Commander Ming Xiao, Lieutenant Commander Muro Okawa and Lieutenant Henry Kozuko   
drove a humvee up to an old castle. On the outside, it looked like something you might see in a children's storybook.   
Made with stones and cement, it didn't look like the ideal headquarters for an organization like the Earth Federation.  
  
Which was precisely why it was. This was the emergency fall-back base just in case there was a coup or an invasion. Very  
few officers know about it in case of capture by the enemy. But when the Exalon appeared to the surviving EF forces, they  
were taken directly to it.  
  
The large metal drawbridge lowered and the humvee drove through the outer keep. Inside was a strange fusion of ancient  
and modern workings. The castle had barracks on each side of the keep. The four towers that made up the corners of the  
keep had either an antenna or a radar dish on top. The castle was stone with patches of steel. Apparently, this castle   
was the sight of a bloody battle long ago that nearly tore the castle in two. The Earth Federation had since then filled  
in the holes with steel plating. The inner bailey was a courtyard filled with EF tanks and gun batteries.  
  
Lucas and the top officers of the Exalon were in luck. One of the Councilmembers was there to meet him. And it was an  
old friend.  
  
"Councilman Bennett," Lucas cried.  
  
"Lucas, my old friend, I am glad to see you are alive," the elderly man said. He then turned to Muro. "Muro! My God,  
the last time I saw you, you were still in pig tails. My, how time flies."  
  
"Good to see you too, Councilman," Muro said bowing.  
  
"We understand that a lot has happened to you," Councilman Bennett said. "The other Councilmembers and I are  
interested in hearing about your exploits."  
  
"I already sent you a copy of my report."  
  
"Yes, but we like to hear it from you personally. We also set up an obsticle course for this... Gundam to demonstrate  
its abilities."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Prime Minister Seamus Asif watched as Archangel was lowered into the underground bay that served as a Mobile Suit hangar  
for the Zakus. Archangel got down on one knee and its central hatch opened. Ben Hoshum, alias the Dark Messiah, stepped  
out. With no fear in his eyes, he jumped down to the ground and mimicked his Mobile Suit's position by genuflecting  
to Prime Minister Asif.  
  
"Greetings, Prime Minister Asif."  
  
"Ben Hoshum, I am... glad that you have took me up on my offer." To tell the truth, several times over the course of the  
trip, Ben opted to just turn around and fly off into oblivion, but he wanted a rematch with that Federation Mobile Suit.  
Sticking around with AMEC almost guarantees that.  
  
"Please, come with me." It was almost funny seeing two children walk down the hall, guards saluting the girl as she  
walked by.  
  
"I was reluctant to assume the throne after my father passed away. My father knew that and appointed an advisor to me."  
  
"So?" Ben asked simply.  
  
"However, there are times where I feel that Second Prime Minister's Howard's suggestions are... unwise."  
  
"Do you feel like there was another way to deal with Captain Garrett?"  
  
"My father believed in non-killing. He used to tell me about something called the Side Wars where a lot of people died  
for what seemed like no apparent reason. I feel like I betrayed him by sending Garrett to die."  
  
{Prime Minister Asif is getting to something. Why is she telling me all this? I know it's more than just small talk.}  
  
"I want to start believing in my father's teachings again and I believe that Second Prime Minister Howard is making me defy  
those teachings. That's why I want to appoint a second advisor."  
  
"And you want me to scout the land for potential candidates?"  
  
"No..." Prime Minister Asif turned to look at him. "In addition to bodyguard, I want you... to be my secondary advisor."  
  
Ben grinded to a halt. Why was Prime Minister Asif putting such trust in him, a lone mercenary?  
  
"I apologize if I caught you off-guard, but I feel that I can trust you a lot more than I can trust Second Prime Minister  
Howard."  
  
"Why do you trust me?" Ben asked, his brown eyes lowering. Seamus looked surprise now. "I'm a mercenary. I work for   
whoever pays me. How do you know Second Prime-Minister Howard didn't hire me to assassinate you?"  
  
"We are alone, without any guards. If that is what you want to do, then you can go ahead and do it here and now."  
  
"In case you've forgotten, I'm called the Dark Messiah. I've been known to destroy entire military complexes. People  
are beginning to connect me with doomsday. I'm ruthless, uncaring, and wreckless and that's just Captain Garret's  
description of me. I can't be trusted."   
  
"Since when do you care about what Captain Garrett says of you?" For a long time, Seamus and Ben stared each other   
down without speaking. Finally, Ben smirked. Apparently, Seamus had called his bluff, something few humans had been   
known to do.  
  
"Fine, I'll take the job, but only until something better comes along."  
  
Seamus' eyes shown. "Oh thank you, Advisor Hoshum." Advisor Hoshum. Ben was beginning to hate the name already.  
  
The two arrived at the throne room where Second Prime Minister Howard was waiting.  
  
"There you are, Miss Seamus," Howard said. "Ahh, I see Ben Hoshum is with you. Welcome, Dark Messiah."  
  
"Second Prime Minister Howard, I have decided to take on Ben Hoshum as a military advisor," Seamus said in a confidence  
that Howard wasn't expecting. "Do you have any objections?"  
  
"If that is Mister Hoshum's wish, then let it be so," he said. But deep down, he was worried. Seamus had got a powerful  
new ally on her side. He would have to handle this delicately, unless he wants to be one of the Dark Messiah's many victims.  
  
"Now that we're all on the same page. Second Advisor Hoshum, please tell of your battles against the Federation Mobile   
Suit."  
  
"As you command, Miss Seamus."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Meanwhile, another head was getting an update. Commander Noah Lucas stood in front of the Earth Federation council  
talking about the B-Gundam. His words were strong and to the point. They had to be, he was performing in front of a  
very tough crowd.  
  
The EF Council has only five members, to prevent deadlock among votings. Bennet sat at the center. On his left sat  
Councilwoman Gina Marrin, the only woman on the council. Marrin seemed determined to prove her point, even if she had to  
get physical with whoever opposed her. To Bennett's right was Councilman Harvey Reynolds, the youngest member. He was  
elected to the seat late in the term, and more than several people were reluctant to vote for him due to his young age.  
On the other side of Marrin was Councilman Paul Johnson, a former soldier who wants to run the Earth Federation like his  
own personal army. The last member of the council was Councilman George Cortis, he was a politician in every sense of the  
word. He manipulated others, even sacrificed his own allies to further his gain.  
  
"Your accounts of the exploits of this Gundam-type Mobile Suit is very impressive, Commander Lucas, Councilman Reynolds   
said.  
  
"I agree," Councilman Cortis added. "But do you think it'll be enough to penetrate the Zakus guarding the AMEC   
headquarters?"  
  
"Not by itself, but by mass-producing the Gundam-type Mobile Suit or GMS for short, we could re-establish a control on   
Earth."  
  
"I have reservations about doing that," Councilman Reynolds said. "Just the other day, a trio of strange Mobile Suits  
attacked the base of Sigma Company. They were completely wiped out!"  
  
"But the Mobile Suits are the only thing that put these Desert Dictators ahead of us militarily," Councilman Johnson   
argued.  
  
"How do you suppose we mass-produce these GMS? For that matter, is such a thing even possible?" Councilwoman Marrin asked.  
  
"According to my sources, these Mobile Suits were abundant a long time ago."  
  
"But the materials seem very advanced," Councilwoman Marrin argued. "Almost extraterrestrial."  
  
"I think that is exactly the case," Commander Lucas said. "That's why I propose..."  
  
"Wait a minute, Commander," Councilman Bennett said. "I'm still curious about the abilities of this Gundam. Before we  
continue, I'd like to see a live demonstration of this Gundam's abilities."  
  
"I thought you would," Commander Lucas said as he took out his cell phone.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Good news, Koshiro," Leeka Moshiro told Gundam Pilot Koshiro Anaka. "The Commander has given you the green light.  
Ready to do a little showing off?"  
  
"It's about time," Koshiro said from the cockpit from the B-Gundam. "HIS activated. Launch B-Gundam!" The B-Gundam  
was catapulted into the courtyard where two tanks and a Zaku shell were as well as several targets. The B-Gundam  
blasted the tanks with the beam rifle it carried. It then shot up the targets with its vulcan cannons. Finally, it took  
a beam saber and sliced the Zaku shell in half. "Man, there are times when I love this job," Koshiro commented.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Very impressive, Commander," Councilman Johnson observed. "Your report doesn't do it justice. We must start   
mass-producing these GMS at once!"  
  
"And how do you suppose we do that?" Councilwoman Marrin countered. "We don't have the resources."  
  
"This is true," Councilman Bennett said. "However, there is a place that does." Councilman Bennett looked up. Everyone  
followed his glance.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Councilman Cortis said. "You're not saying..."  
  
"That's exactly what I'm saying. The Colonies have the resources, we must get assistance from them."  
  
The Earth Federation had long thought that the Colonies were wiped out, at least majorly. But when they found Keela, she  
revealed that the Colonies were alive and well, but had not made contact with Earth in years. Nobody knew if they were  
doing this to teach the Earth Federation a lesson, or if everyone on the Colonies simply died out.  
  
"If we're to gain an advantage over the Desert Dictators, we must re-establish contact with the Colonies. Right now,  
the Exalon is our only space-capable vessel."  
  
"But if the Exalon leaves for the Colonies, we will be unprotected," Councilwoman Marrin protested.  
  
"Exactly. Which means we'll have to..."  
  
Suddenly an alarm rang out. Councilman Bennett pulled up a video image of a soldier.  
  
"Councilman, a squadron of Zaku robots have been spotted on long-range radar."  
  
"Go to high alert status, alert all..."  
  
"Wait a minute, Councilman," Commander Lucas said. He picked up his cellular phone. "Lee, it's me... yup, go ahead."  
Turning to the council, Commander Lucas said, "We'll take care of this."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Attention all hands," Lee announced. "Prepare for the launch of the G-Armor."  
  
The armor that the B-Gundam used earlier to defend the Enterprise survivors was compiled and placed onto the catapult.  
  
"Tasha, Victor," Lee called. "Launch G-Armor!"  
  
"Launching G-Armor now!" The twins cried out. The armor unit was sent out.  
  
The armor separated and began inserting itself onto various parts of the B-Gundam as the Zakus landed.  
  
Drawing one of his beam sabers, Koshiro sent the B-Gundam into action. Since the Enterprise attack, Koshiro has gotten  
used to using the G-Armor. The B-Gundam was still slowed a little, but what he lacked in speed, he made up for in power.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Councilmembers watched as the B-Gundam sliced up the Zakus almost as easy as it did during the demonstration.  
  
"I've never seen such power," Councilman Cortis said.  
  
"This makes mass-producing them even more essential," Councilwoman Marrin threw in.  
  
"One thing at a time," Councilman Johnson said. "Just how did the Zakus know where we were?"  
  
"I understand what you mean, Councilman," Commander Lucas agreed. "The only way they could've found this location is if  
someone told them."  
  
"A traitor!" Councilwoman Marrin realized. "Perhaps even in this very room!" Everyone looked at each other, now with  
suspician.  
  
"People, mistrust will not help our situation," Councilman Bennett said. "Commander Lucas, tell your Gundam Pilot to  
bring in a Zaku. Then we can question its pilot."  
  
Commaner Lucas nodded, but as he made the call, one question ran through his mind: How did Councilman Bennett know  
Koshiro was called the Gundam Pilot? We hadn't even discussed the pilot issue yet.  
  
As commanded, Koshiro brought in one of the Zakus. The pilot was almost literally pried from his Mobile Suit and placed   
into a detention lock.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"We must go into hiding," Councilman Bennett told Commander Lucas and the Exalon crew. "As of now, the Earth Federation  
government is no more. We will gather our forces and prepare a counter-attack. Perhaps someday, we will return to power,  
but not now. Noah Lucas, your mission, and the mission of the Exalon is two parts. The first part is to ensure the  
protection of the last surviving Mobile Suit Gundam. The second part, and probably the most important, is to establish  
peaceful ties with the Colonies. Can you accomplish this mission?"  
  
"My crew and I are up to the challenge," Lucas said. Everybody, including Keela and the children saluted Councilman   
Bennett. Bennett saluted back.  
  
During the next few days, the Earth Federation forces gathered together at the castle. Tech crews have been modifying  
the Exalon for space travel. They put in trams so that the crew could move around in zero-gravity. They received another  
three Core Fighter, these properly equipped for space travel (150% output thrusters and oxygen supply for example). They  
repaired and replenished the Exalon's weapons.  
  
Noah Lucas adjusted his new uniform. The Exalon was (unofficially of course) not a part of the Earth Federation any more.  
In fact, the Earth Federation (unofficially) no longer existed. Therefore, they couldn't be seen wearing the Earth  
Federation uniforms. These new uniforms were a charcoal black jumpsuit with gray signifying their rank. There was no EF   
logo. The shirt area was instead covered with pockets. A pocket reserved for a side arm was stitched onto the pants leg.  
His boots were nice and shiny. His belt contained extra clips for his sidearm as well as a cell communicator.  
  
Lucas looked at the rank symbol on his sleeve. A Captain.  
  
He was a Captain.  
  
Lucas left the quarters he was given in the castle (All the furniture on the Exalon was being bolted down). At an  
intersection, he came across Ming Xiao who was in a uniform like his own, except there were no breast pockets. She was  
missing her trademark hat.  
  
"Congratulations on your promotion, Captain," she said.  
  
"Thank you, Commander. You must like the fact that the sub's been dropped from your name."  
  
"With all due respect, sir, it felt like I was demoted."  
  
"Understood, it won't happen again."  
  
"Well, isn't this a happy scene," Lee said walking up to them in a female uniform, her blonde hair pulled back into a  
short pony tail. "If you two are done smiling, we have a birthday party to attend." The three went down to an  
underground commissary. The others had already arrived. All except the reason they were all there in the first place.  
  
The person was coming down the hall.  
  
"Muro, what's the hurry?" Koshiro asked. "This wouldn't be like last time, is it? Last time, I split my seems...   
literally."  
  
"Trust me, you'll like this."  
  
"I think Lee said something along those same lines too." Muro shoved Koshiro into the room just as everybody yelled out  
"surprise!" Koshiro looked around at the set-up. Streamers hung along the wall, balloons were tied to seat legs. A large  
banner read 'Happy Birthday, Koshiro' (with the s backwards, obviously written by the kids.).  
  
"Wh... what is all this?" Koshiro asked, still surprised. "My... my birthday was already past."  
  
"We know, but since we were too busy running for our lives to throw you one, we figured this was as best as time as any,"  
Lee explained.  
  
"Wow... thanks, guys, I... I don't know what to say."  
  
"You already said all that was needed to be said, Koshiro," Captain Lucas said. "After all the times you helped us out,  
this is the least we can do to repay you." The party started and a good time was had by all. Koshiro thought back to his  
last birthday. His parents took himself, Paiyako, and a few friends to the mountains. There was this beautiful lake set  
in a clearing. The forest gathered around the lake as if it was some sort of holy land. They spent the entire time  
swimming, fishing, and just playing in the forest. It was such an innocent time. He remembered standing on a log  
staring at a fish that had accidentally jumped out when someone pushed him into the lake. Coughing and sputtering water,  
he looked up to see the culprit standing on the log where he was, laughing hysterically.  
  
"That's not funny, Pai," Koshiro said scowling.  
  
"You should've seen your face, Koshiro," Paiyako said between laughter. "It was great!"  
  
"Yeah, we'll see about that." Koshiro kicked the log and dislodged it from the shoreline. Paiyako slipped and fell in.  
Now it was Koshiro's turn to laugh.  
  
"That was stupid, Koshiro!" Paiyako yelled. "You should know you're not suppose to push a girl into a lake."  
  
"I didn't push, I kicked," Koshiro said. Paiyako put on her fiery-mad face and began chasing Koshiro around the shallow  
end of the lake.  
  
Koshiro sighed. He and Paiyako promised to spend his birthday in Harmonford, but then AMEC attacked and the Exalon  
appeared and after that everything went to hell.  
  
"Koshiro, Koshiro!" Koshiro shook himself out of his reverie and looked at Keela. "Koshiro, are you all right?"  
  
"Yeah, sorry, Keela, I guess I just faded out for a second." He then noticed what Keela was wearing, it was a female Exalon  
uniform. "Uh... Keela, why are you wearing a uniform?"  
  
"Oh, didn't anyone tell you? I've been drafted!" She was way too optimistic about that revelation. "After the Captain  
told Councilman Bennett about my 'past record,' he personally asked me to sign on as an Adviser and Counsellor to the   
crew."  
  
"Well that's great, but what about the kids?"  
  
"Hey, Keela, this suit doesn't fit right," Christopher complained. Koshiro turned around and saw the children all  
wearing green jumpsuits.  
  
"That's because you have it on backwards, silly," Kikka said. Christopher turned around and around like a dog chasing  
his tail, trying to get the flap of the jumpsuit so he could take it off but he only ended up falling over.  
  
Koshiro turned towards Keela with a confused look. Keela explained, "when Councilman Bennett asked me to become a  
crewmember, I agreed but only if the children could remain with me."  
  
"Are you sure that's wise?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"No, it's probably not wise, but I'll tell you what I told him. I'm just... repaying a favor to an old friend."  
  
Koshiro wondered who it was and what exactly was the favor, but decided not to pry anymore. Keela made it clear to him  
that she wanted to put her life as a crewmember of the White Base behind her and Koshiro respected that. In fact, perhaps it  
was time for him to put his life before the destruction of Scatterhaven behind him, including Paiyako...  
  
Koshiro shook his head. He would ponder such dilemmas later. Right now, he was just going to enjoy his party.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The party went on for another hour, and then it was time to leave. Captain Lucas and the crew of the Exalon marched out  
to the courtyard. The Exalon stood big and proud among the large encampment that had been set up by the ever-increasing  
army of soldiers that were gathering every day.  
  
Councilman Bennett stood in front of the Gundam launch bay. "Captain Lucas, are you ready to depart?"  
  
"Yes, sir," Lucas saluted.  
  
"Remember, the Earth Federation fell against the hands of AMEC. You are working as independents. You will, in reality,  
answer to me and only me directly. No messages, no communiques, nothing. If I need to tell you something, you will know."  
  
"Yes, sir," Captain Lucas said.  
  
"Then good luck and good hunting." Councilman Bennett stepped aside and the crew walked up the ramp. With pride in their   
hearts and serenity in their minds, they took their assigned positions. Captain Lucas in the command chair, Muro at the  
helm, Lee at the communication station, Victor and Tasha up in the operations tower. Koshiro was down in the B-Gundam,   
getting it prepped for possible combat along with Henry and Shinji. Keela and the children were secured in their quarters.  
Commander Xiao was sitting at an unmanned station.  
  
"Begin check list," Captain Lucas commanded. The twins began calling off systems and the others responded accordingly.  
  
"Main Engines?"  
  
"Go!"   
  
"Vertical and lateral thrusters?"  
  
"Ready!"  
  
"Helm interface!"  
  
"Working!"  
  
"AMS guns?"  
  
"Manned!"  
  
"Particle cannon?"  
  
"Charged."  
  
"Oxygen supply?"  
  
"100%."  
  
"Artificial gravity?"  
  
"Ready to engage as soon as we hit Earth's orbit."  
  
"Minovsky Generator?"  
  
"Working."  
  
"Crew status?"  
  
"All stations report ready."  
  
"Well, here we go," Captain Lucas said as he picked up his phone. "Attention all hands, lift off commencing now!"  
  
"Lifting off in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one... zero!"  
  
"Lift off!" The Exalon began withdrawing from the ground. It hovered about 500 feet from the castle, then moved away  
from it. It slowly began rising.  
  
"Say good-bye to Earth," Captain Lucas said. "We won't be seeing it for a while."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro watched as the ground began disappearing. _Good-bye, Paiyako_, he thought. _Good luck working for the Terran   
Alliance_.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon arrives at a colony designated "Side 6" by its inhabitants and meet new Mobile Suits including the Hizack and   
Jegan. They begin negotiations but they soon realize that all is not well when a squadron of strange space Mobile Suits  
start attacking, Koshiro but struggle to adjust to fighting in zero-gravity.  
  
Next episode: Gundam In Space.   
  
It's a whole new battlefield. 


	17. Gundam In Space

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
The Earth Federation is no more. With their headquarters destroyed by their enemies, the remnants of the once mighty  
government went underground. Once they did that, they decide to undertake a daring mission: establish an alliance with  
the long-forgotten colonies. They sent their only space-worthy vessel, the Exalon, up to re-establish ties. Now, a new  
adventure begins.  
  
[Episode 17: Gundam In Space]  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Captain Noah Lucas has seen some pretty incredible sights during his time in service. And now, he can add seeing Earth  
from space to that list. The crew also looked on with awe. The Earth was a glowing blue sphere with patches of green,  
brown and white around it. Lucas noticed how the Earth sparkled, almost with a magical glow.  
  
Commander Ming Xiao voiced his thought. "It's incredible, almost like it's glowing with energy."  
  
"It's hard to believe that the Earth Federation once ruled all of it," Lucas commented.  
  
"And more," Enlisted Officer (EO) Keela Nyoko said coming onto the bridge with the children that were her 'assistants.'  
"Believe it or not, the Earth Federation used to preside over the Colonies as well."  
  
"But I though the Colonies were soverign," Lee Moshiro commented.  
  
"Well... it's kind of hard to explain," Keela said. "To tell the truth, I don't know the whole story myself."  
  
Fortunately, Captain Lucas was able to divert attention from her. "Victor, Tasha, any sign of ships, any sort?"  
  
"Not yet, sir," Victor replied.  
  
"Then what do you call that?" Muro Okawa asked. A humanoid object was rapidly approaching them. The outline was   
unmistakable, though nobody (with the exception of Keela) could understand how it was able to fly in space.  
  
"It's a Zaku!" Christopher cried out running behind Kikka, as if afraid the thing would zero in on him.  
  
"Crap. Battle Alert! Prepare launch of B-Gundam!"  
  
But as the Mobile Suit (nobody could deny that it was a Mobile Suit) drifted closer, they realized that it wasn't a  
normal-looking Zaku. While it had a Zaku's shape, it's features were somewhat different. It was taller and has two  
guards on its shoulder and forearms. It had two extra thrusters on its legs. Its color scheme was red, white and blue  
with small patches of yellow.  
  
"That's the strangest Zaku I've ever seen," Commander Xiao commented. "It looks like someone painted it the same colors  
as the B-Gundam."  
  
"Captain, we're receiving a transmission from it," Lee announced.  
  
"Well, no time like the present. Put it on, Lee."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Attention unidentified star craft, this is Colony Centurion Hizack Unit 14-a, halt and identify yourself and your   
business here immediately. Warning, failure to respond would cause me to take action against you."  
  
"Very forward, isn't he?" Lucas muttered. "Lee, introduce us as the Exalon, don't mention the Earth Federation.   
Remember, officially, the Earth Federation no longer exists."  
  
"Yes, sir," Lee replied before activating her microphone. "This is the Independent starship Exalon..." Lee looked to   
Captain Lucas who nodded his consent. "Our business is peaceful. We wish to speak with your leaders."  
  
"On what grounds?" The Hizack Mobile Suit asked.  
  
"Let me speak," Captain Lucas said taking Lee's head set. "This is Captain Noah Lucas, we have information regarding   
the war between the Earth Federation and the AMEC forces..."  
  
There was a long pause from the other end. The Hizack stared at the Exalon. Finally, the voice said, "Follow me."   
The Hizack took the Exalon out to the moon. Just beyond that was an incredibly huge cylindrical object rotating in   
deep space. Soon, a new voice came over the speakers.  
  
"Calling the ship Exalon, this is Spacedock Control Center of Side 6, code named Reah. Welcome to space. Please follow   
the Hizack and follow all the instructions you're given. A government representative will meet you once you dock."  
  
"Understood, Reah," Lee confirmed taking back her headset. "Exalon out."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon crew couldn't believe the sophistication of the technology of Side 6. It was almost alien to them. The Exalon   
was led down an incredibly huge tunnel by the Hizack. They ended up in what looked like a pier. Spaceships of all shape  
and size were connected to the wall by large boarding tubes. What looked like giant metal suction cups hooked the Exalon  
to the docking bay as a boarding tube moved up to a side air lock.  
  
"Looks like we're locked down," Tasha Benson informed them.  
  
"All right. Commander Xiao, Lieutenant Moshiro and Mister Lenard will accompany us. Lieutenant Okawa, you have command  
of the ship until we get back."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Captain Lucas, Commander Xiao, Lee, and Victor walked along the metal tube that connected the Exalon with the Colony   
spaceport.  
  
"Captain, what are we suppose to say to them?" Commander Xiao asked.  
  
"We tell them the truth. The Earth has been taken over by AMEC. That's all they need to know."  
  
A man in a business suit met them at the other end of the tube. He introduced himself as Mr. Oliver Nicholson,  
representing Govenor Paula Zachary Martin. He lead them down a series of long hallways until they came to an elevator.  
  
But it wasn't an elevator per se, rather it was more of a lift. A lift which lowered the group into the colony's  
habitat region. Reah's Government Building was, ironically, a victorian-style meeting house. Nicholson informed them  
that the people of Side 6 never wanted to forget their roots as they continued into the future. Commander Xiao thought  
it was admirable.  
  
Govenor Martin was a middle-aged woman who looked like a seasoned pro at running a colony. Her graying auburn hair was  
held back by a clip and her brown eyes were hidden behind a pair of bifocals. She was dressed in a brown checkered  
skirt and jacket over a pale white blouse. She made Lee nervous.  
  
Captain Lucas gave the Govenor their cover story. They were independently-owned relief workers lending aid to small  
villages that were devastated from the war. They had been witnessed to a battle where an entire Earth Federation army  
was wiped out by the Zakus. They explained how they came across Washington deserted, with the exception of a small  
batallion of Desert Dictator forces. After that, they went out spreading what they found out to whoever would listen.  
  
It was probably the weakest story the Captain ever told.  
  
"And that's the story, Govenor," Captain Lucas finished.  
  
The Govenor regarded the Captain with a skeptic look. She didn't even look at the suited men at her side, who were most  
likely her advisors. She seemed to be the type of woman who only took advice from one person: herself.  
  
"Let's say I believe you, Captain," the Govenor said steepling her hands. "What do you want of us?"  
  
"With the Earth Federation gone, Earth is without a stable government body," the Captain explained. "This is the perfect  
chance for the Colonies to come in and really set Earth on the right track. Set up a governing body and the Earth and  
Colonies can truly be united under the Colonies' supervision."  
  
Govenor Martin took off her bifocals and rubbed her eyes. "Captain, let me tell you something. over two hundred  
years ago, the Colonies was at the center of a bloodbath that came to be known as the One-Year War. Even now, we are  
rebuilding and replenishing what has been lost to us. If we make such a political movement while the Colonies are still  
working to rebuild, then we're no better than the Earth Federation." Lee fumed. The Govenor was treating the Earth  
Federation like it was the spawn of Satan.  
  
"I understand, Govenor," Captain Lucas said. He turned to leave.  
  
"Captain, do not mistake my curtness as a sign of disrespect," Govenor Martin said. "I empathize with you Earthnoids.  
But the safety of the Colonies must be my first priority."  
  
"Of course, Govenor. Good day."  
  
"Well, that worked," Lee said sarcastically. "Any other ideas?"  
  
"Perhaps one of the other Colonies might be more cooperative?" Victor offered.  
  
"I don't think it'll work," Commander Xiao said. "Let's face it, Earth has a too hostile past."  
  
"I wonder if the old Earth Federation had this problem," Lee said. Suddenly she gasped in pain and collapsed to her   
knees, holding her head.  
  
"Lee!" Captain Lucas gasped. "Victor, get her to Sickbay. Ming, I think we need to..."  
  
Suddenly an alarm rang out. The Govenor's voice came out over a loudspeaker. "Attention all Colony citizens, we are under  
attack. Please proceed to you designated shelters. All Jegan pilots please report to the spaceport immediately!"  
  
Captain Lucas and Commander Xiao hurried over to the Exalon.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Captain Lucas demanded an update of what's been going on as soon as he came on the bridge.  
  
"According to the Colony's perimeter sensors, over 85 unidentified objects are approaching the colony," Tasha explained.  
"They have failed to identify themselves to the Centurion Hizacks."  
  
"All right. Tasha, tell Koshiro to prepare the B..."  
  
"Captain, look." A line of strange Mobile Suits came out of a spaceship. They were primarily gray and had a single viser  
where eyes would normally be.  
  
"What kind of Mobile Suits are those?" Lucas asked.  
  
"They're called the Jegans." It was Oliver Nicholson, the attache to Govenor Martin.  
  
"Jegans?" Commander Xiao questioned.  
  
"This colony has a company of two different types of Mobile Suits: the Jegans and the Hizacks. Unfortunately, in these  
peaceful times, weapons had become all but extinct. So our original Mobile Suit complement was downgraded to just two  
types of Mobile Suits about twenty-five. It's the same with most of the other Colonies."  
  
"We better prepare for battle," Commander Xiao said.  
  
"It won't be necessary," Nicholson said. "Switch your video frequency to 3579 and activate your general communication  
frequency." Tasha complied with Nicholson's instructions.  
  
"Jegan Units 1-12, take position. 13-24 back them up. Prepare portable I-field generators."  
  
"What are they doing?" Captain Lucas said.  
  
"Watch."  
  
Soon, a group of lights appeared in the horizon. As they came into visual range, they were revealed to be Mobile Suits.  
These Mobile Suits shared the same general design as the Zaku, but were obviously much more advanced. Their heads were  
narrow and more exaggerated. One of its shoulders had spikes on them. On the opposite arm was a large two-piece shield.  
It was a blood red color.  
  
"What kind of Mobile Suits are those?" Commander Xiao asked.  
  
"They're called the Marasai," Nicholson explained. "And judging by their colors, they're most likely from Side 2."  
  
The Jegans held out a strange black box. The box began glowing. Energy shot out of it and connected with the black  
boxes held by other Jegans, forming a strange net around the Colony. The Marasai opened fire with beam weapons which  
bounced off of the net.  
  
"Looks like the shield's holding," Tasha analyzed.  
  
"Yes, but there's something seriously wrong with the Colony's strategy," Captain Lucas rebutted.  
  
The truth came out when the Marasai charged the Jegans with vulcans and other non-beam weapons. A quarter of the   
Jegans were already destroyed when the others decided to forfeit their barrier strategy and go into close-range combat.  
  
"I think it's time we join the party," Captain Lucas said. "Tasha, launch B-Gundam!"  
  
"Did you say Gundam?" Nicholson asked wide-eyed.  
  
Lucas turned to look at him. "Yes, you know of the design?"  
  
Nicholson's bewildered expression was almost comical.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Remember, Koshiro," Henry Kazuko said. "Space combat is very different from ground combat. The enemy can even attack  
you from anywhere, even below so you'll need to be constantly moving."  
  
"I understand, Henry."  
  
"Attention all hands, prepare for the launch of the B-Gundam," came Tasha's voice. "All hands evacuate to safety zones.  
Prepare for depressurization. Henry quickly ran to the newly-installed launch booth that the engineers so graciously  
put in for just such an occasion.  
  
"This is Gundam Pilot," Koshiro called out. "B-Gundam Space Mode, launch!" The B-Gundam was flung out of the launch bay   
and shot through the metallic tunnels of Side 6. The B-Gundam exited the colony and drew a beam saber. The momentum  
given by the catapult enabeled the B-Gundam to immediately strike down a Marasai with its beam saber. Not even sparing  
a moment to see if his kill had been complete. It used the thrusters built into the modified jet pack to move on to  
another Marasai. The pilot of this one was definitely more skill than the one before, and Koshiro no longer had the  
element of surprise.  
  
The Jegans, upon seeing the B-Gundam in battle, were refuelled with courage. They all drew beam sabers and attacked  
the Marasai. While a good most of them were destroyed, the Marasais didn't have it so easy.  
  
"Have to keep moving, have to keep moving, have to keep moving," Koshiro kept telling himself. A Marasai plowed into  
him sending him into the outer hull of the Colony. Koshiro pushed off from the hull and came back with its vulcans.  
The Marasai was so busy with the B-Gundam that it failed to notice a Jegan come up behind it and stab it in the back.  
  
One of the Marasai pilots was frightened at the Mobile Suit that just joined the battle. She had heard tales regarding  
the Gundam-class Mobile Suits. But she never realized how powerful... and horrible, the Gundam was until she saw it  
for herself.  
  
Unfortunately, that would be the last thing she would ever see, before the B-Gundam sliced her Marasai in two.  
  
Suddenly the Marasai began to gang up on the B-Gundam. Koshiro activated the beam shield and tried to absorb as much of  
the blasts as possible.  
  
I can't let them harm the colony, Koshiro thought. A Marasai snuck up behind him and grabbed the B-Gundam in a  
tight bear hug.  
  
And was promptly destroyed by Starlight.  
  
"Koshiro, are you okay?" Koshiro almost jumped up in his seat. The voice that apparently was coming from Starlight  
wasn't Lee's, but it was Muro's!  
  
"Muro? What are you doing there? Where's Lee?"  
  
"Lee collapsed on the Colony."  
  
"Oh no! I have to get to her..."  
  
"One thing at a time, Koshiro," Muro said backhanding a Marasai. "Let's finish these guys off." Together, the B-Gundam,  
Starlight, and the remaining Jegans finished off the rest of the Marasais.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Good job, Koshiro, Muro," Captain Lucas congratulated. "Return to the Exalon. Engineering crew, prepare to recharge   
and re-arm both units."  
  
"Captain!" Captain Lucas turned to see the wide-eye look of Mr. Nicholson "How did you get a Gundam?"  
  
"Believe it or not, we found it, Starlight too, in an abandoned bunker on Earth."  
  
"Captain," Keela called from Lee's station. "We're receiving a transmission from Govenor Martin."  
  
"I'll take it," the Captain said taking the headset. "Govenor Martin..."  
  
"Captain Lucas, what is the meaning of this?" Govenor Martin asked. "Why didn't you tell us you had a Gundam?"  
  
"I didn't realize it was that big of a deal."  
  
"OF COURSE IT'S THAT BIG OF A DEAL!" Govenor Martin shouted almost causing Captain Lucas to fall down. "The   
Gundam-class Mobile Suit is a symbol of the time where the Colonies were in the middle of one of the bloodiest   
conflicts in human history! If the other Colonies find out we have a Gundam Mobile Suit, they'll be literally up  
in arms."  
  
"Govenor, don't you think you're blowing it our of proportion just a little?"  
  
"Captain Lucas, I must demand that you and your ship leave immediately. Refusal or reluctance to do so will result in  
us opening fire on your ship."  
  
"Govenor, wait..." A dial tone told Captain Lucas that the transmission had been disconnected. Captain Lucas sighed in  
defeat and handed the headset off to Keela. "Keela, tell the B-Gundam and Starlight to power down," he said in a  
defeated tone. He went over and picked up his intercom phone. "Attention all hands, this is the Captain. cast off all  
moorings, power up the engines, prepare to depart. We're leaving the Colony." Captain Lucas turned to Mr. Nicholson.  
"Mister Nicholson, please return to the Colony spaceport." Mr. Nicholson left without so much as a word.  
  
"All moorings have been disconnected," Victor reported.  
  
"We are operating on independent power," Tasha added.  
  
"Take off," Lucas ordered. The Exalon moved towards the exit at a leisurely pace. Tasha pointed out that there were  
a couple of Jegans following on behind them, most likely escorting them out. The Jegans stopped just as the Exalon exited  
the launch tunnel.  
  
Koshiro and Muro came onto the bridge. "What's our next move, Captain?" Muro asked as she took the helm from Henry.  
  
"We'll have to return to Earth and consult the council," Lucas said.  
  
"Wait a minute, Captain," Commander Xiao said. "Perhaps we should conduct ourselves to Victor's suggestion and get in  
touch with one of the other colonies."  
  
"What's the point," Shinji Katsumoto asked. "we'll probably get the same reactin from all the others."  
  
As the Exalon left the Colony, it proceeded on a vector that would take it past the moon and around the southern  
hemisphere of the Earth. They would have to make sure nobody followed them as they returned to Earth.  
  
As they past over the dark side of the moon, Tasha's consol suddenly lite up. Victor's followed suite.  
  
"Unidentified objects closing in, bearing 230 mark 135, forty-five degree vector."  
  
"Identify," Commander Xiao said.  
  
"Identifying," Victor confirmed. "It's those Mobile Suits that attacked the Colony earlier!"  
  
"The Marasai," Captain Lucas said. "Koshiro..."  
  
"I'm already there," Koshiro said. He ran down to the hangar bay and jumped into the B-Gundam. The B-Gundam Space Mode  
was launched.  
  
"Koshiro, give me number and weapon capabilities," Captain Lucas demanded.  
  
"Looks like thirty... no wait, thirty five... wait, there's another twenty behind them... I'm counting at least 60   
Marasai."  
  
"Damn," Lucas cursed. "Muro, get down to Starlight and launch immediately. Koshiro, deal with them the best you can.  
Shinji, power up AMS weapons. Don't use the main cannon, at least not until Starlight has launched."  
  
Koshiro fired into the Marasai with his beam rifle. He got one. He strafed the beam rifle causing six more Marasai  
to explode.  
  
Koshiro grunted. "Captain, I don't know how much longer I can... whoa!" Koshiro fired the thrusters just as a  
Marasai attempted to come up from under him.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Lee grunted as she exited the sickbay. Doctor Paulson was hot on her heels.  
  
"Lieutenant Moshiro, you mustn't be up like this. I can't clear you for active duty."  
  
"The... B-Gundam won't stand a chance... without me."  
  
"But Lieutenant..."  
  
Lee glared evily at Doctor Paulson. He never seen such ferociousness in her before. "Doctor, I am going to get  
into that robot and I am going to defeat the enemy. Don't try and stop me." Limping under her own power, Lee made her  
way down to the secondary hangar where Starlight was stored. All this time, Lee was chanting a mantra to herself.  
"Have to... help... have to... destroy... have to... have to..." Lee plopped herself down in the chair and closed the  
hatch.  
  
"Lieutenant," came a voice over her communicator. "You do not have clearance to launch. Please shut down and step from  
the cockpit.  
  
"Crewman," Lee said. "I suggest you open that door before I blast it open and send you out into space without  
protection."  
  
"But Lieutenant, I can't..."  
  
"Do you know how to open the hatch, Crewman?"  
  
"Well... yes, ma'am, but..."  
  
"THEN DO IT!" Lee snapped. "Or do I have to blow it open?"  
  
Lee could actually hear the crewman gulp over the channel. Soon, the launch alarms rang out and the launch bay  
doors opened.  
  
"Starlight, launch!" The moment the Starlight Guncannon was ejected from the Exalon, it started taking pot shots at  
the Marasai.  
  
Koshiro sliced up another Marasai with its beam saber (his beam rifle had been depleted of energy rather quickly).  
But another was able to block. Three more attacked with two beam sabers. Koshiro drew his second beam saber but he  
couldn't defend against all of them. They were ganging up on him and beating him rather mercilessly.  
  
Starlight began shooting Marasai in the back. She was able to destroy three of them and injure a fourth before the  
others separated from the B-Gundam.  
  
"Koshiro... are you okay?" Lee asked.  
  
"Lee? I should be asking you that same question."  
  
"Apparently I'm in better shape than you are." Lee launched a barrage of cannon fire, most of which missed the  
Marasai. The B-Gundam and Starlight engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the Marasai.  
  
"There are too many of them!" Lee cried as the Marasai began surrounding them. She then grunted as a Marasai stuck  
a beam saber into Starlight's neck. All of her video monitors shorted out at once. Lee covered her face from the spark-  
shooting panel. "I'm blind!" She cried.  
  
"Hang on, I'll take you back to the Exalon."  
  
"No!" Lee snapped. Koshiro gasped. Lee lowered her tone. "I mean... look out for yourself, you can't spend time  
worrying about me."  
  
"Sorry," Koshiro murmurred.  
  
Suddenly one of the Marasai detached its arm shield and drew a strange weapon. It looked like two heat hawks that were  
placed end to end. It threw the double-bladed axe and as it twirled, it sliced off the B-Gundam's right hand, the one  
with the beam saber in it. The B-Gundam started to draw its other beam saber but Koshiro realized that if he did, it  
would just get cut off again then he really would be unarmed.  
  
A new barrage of fire destroyed several of the Marasai. From the dark side of the Earth came several squadrons of Hizacks  
and Jegans. Some of them were even carrying beam rifles.  
  
"What the hell? Those are Reah's robots!" Captain Lucas realized. "What's going on."  
  
"Receiving a transmission from the new force," Keela announced.  
  
"Put it on the overhead," Captain Lucas ordered.  
  
"Attention Exalon Gundam and Guncannon, return to your ship, we'll cover your escape." Lucas couldn't believe his  
ears. It was Oliver Nicholson.  
  
"B-Gundam and Starlight returning to Exalon bay," Tasha reported. The Jegans and the Hizacks had surrounded the Marasai  
and were now herding them back the way they came.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
A little while later, the Exalon received Nicholson and his Jegan. Nicholson had changed from his business suit to  
a gray flight suit much like Koshiro's.  
  
"Mister Nicholson, thank you for your timely assistance," Captain Lucas said as he met the aide on the catwalk in the   
upper level of the cargo bay. "I was under the assumption that you guys didn't like us."  
  
"Despite how we feel about the Gundam, we owe you for helping us back at the Colony," Nicholson said. "Besides, to tell  
you the truth, Govenor Martin's opinion doesn't reflect the colony citizens, nor the Mobile Suit Guard."  
  
"You wouldn't happen to know of a place where we can get our Mobile Suits repaired?"  
  
"Actually, I do," Nicholson said. "Anaheim."  
  
"Anaheim, what's that?"  
  
"Please tell me you're joking," Nicholson said. "Then again, you had no knowledge of the reputation of the Gundam-class  
Mobile Suits so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Anaheim is a company that specially designs in building and   
repairing Mobile Suits. Their central headquarters is located on the Moon."  
  
"I hope the Govenor isn't too hard on you," Captain Lucas said shaking Nicholson's hand.  
  
"So do we all, Captain, so do we all."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro and Lee are sent to the Anaheim factory on the Moon. There, they receive upgrades for the B-Gundam and  
Starlight. They also discover something about each other. Meanwhile, the Exalon discovers a plot set forth by the  
remaining Colonies that counteracts what Govenor Martin told them. Now, they must decide which side they want to  
join, because in this revolution, there are no neutral parties.  
  
Next episode: Beneath Starlight.   
  
Love can bloom even in the heart of war. 


	18. Beneath Starlight

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
The Exalon had ascended into space in an attempt to gain support from the Colonies. The first colony they came to,  
Side 6, refused them after it was discovered that the Exalon possessed a Gundam, a symbol of dark times for the Colonies.  
Despite this, the Side 6 Mobile Suit Guard were able to aid the B-Gundam and Starlight Guncannon in fending off an  
invading Marasai force. With both of their Mobile Suits damaged, Koshiro and Lee have no choice but to proceed to  
the Anaheim factory on the moon.  
  
[Episode 18: Beneath Starlight]  
  
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"I hate this," Lee Moshiro grumbled. "I hate being blind."  
  
"Oh calm down," Koshiro Anaka replied. "Isn't it better to be blind than dead?"  
  
"Depends on your definition of better." Since Lee was in the cockpit of her own Mobile Suit, Koshiro had to imagine  
her facial expressions. The B-Gundam was taking Starlight and itself to the Anaheim factory. According to Mister  
Nicholson, Govenor Martin's representative (and now their semi-secret ally), the workers at Anaheim are experts in  
repairing Mobile Suits. Captain Noah Lucas also said to talk to the workers about the possibility of upgrading the  
Mobile Suits for space combat. The fixes they had made on Earth were only temporary and not very good quality, in  
Koshiro's personal opinion.  
  
"Come on, cheer up," Koshiro told his fellow MS pilot and friend. "Think of it as a little vacation. Besides, how  
often can you brag to the others that you've been on the Moon."  
  
"That reminds me," Lee said. "How can there be a factory on the moon?"  
  
"A factory? Keela told me that there's a whole city on the moon. Well anyway, we're about to find out first hand,  
we're about to come to it."  
  
A voice came on inside Koshiro's helmet. "Attention Mobile Suits, please identify yourselves and explain your  
mission."  
  
"This is Koriko Irumi of the Exalon and pilot of the Mobile Suit Beam-Gundam. We need to proceed to Anaheim for  
repairs. Can you help us." Koshiro had to use a fake name to protect his true identity. Koshiro thought that Captain  
Lucas was just being paranoid, he doesn't even know anybody in space.  
  
"Understood, Beam-Gundam. YOu and the Guncannon accompanying you please follow the lights and they will take you to  
the Anaheim factory." Koshiro complied and follow the beacon lights to a metal panel located on the moon's dark side.  
The panel opened revealing a Gundam-size cargo bay. The B-Gundam and Starlight landed. An orange-jumpsuited technician  
met them.  
  
"Well I'll be," he said in way of greeting. "An actual Gundam-type Mobile Suit. You don't see to many of those any  
more."  
  
Koshiro and Lee stepped out of their Mobile Suits.  
  
"I'm Koriko Irumi," Koshiro introduced. "And this is Lisa Maddison. We're from the Exalon."  
  
"Exalon, never heard of it. What's that, a merchant ship."  
  
"Uh... yeah. We just came from Side 6..."  
  
The man winced. "Oooh, Martin's territory. Well, despite where you from, you seem to be nice folks. My name's Victor  
Raymond, call me Vic." He tipped his hat.  
  
"We were caught in the middle of a battle," Koshiro explained. He pointed to Lee. "Her uh... Guncannon, lost its visual  
monitors and as for mine, well... I think you can guess."  
  
"Well, looks like everything's superficial. Tell you what, you just leave them with me, I'll have them done for you by  
tomorrow."  
  
"Couldn't you have it done sooner?" Lee asked.  
  
"Maybe if I was working on one of them, but two, it'll take a while."  
  
"That's fine," Koshiro said.  
  
Vic nodded. "Hey Sal, over here!" He called to another technician. This one was much smaller and thinner than the  
broad-shouldered Vic. "We've got a decapitation and a blind one here." The younger technician's face was hidden by  
a hat bearing the Anaheim logo. The technician went straight up to Koshiro and seemed to be staring at his boots.  
  
"Um..."  
  
"What are you looking at, spacey?" The technician looked up and Koshiro came face-to-face with a kid with large magenta  
eyes. But what's more...  
  
"You're a girl!" Koshiro said shocked.  
  
The 'girl' placed an index finger on Koshiro's nose and kept tapping it with each syllable. "Wo-man, I am a wo-man.  
What's wrong, you spacenoids can't tell the difference between a man and a woman?"  
  
"That's Sal?" Lee asked.  
  
"Her full name's Sally," Vic whispered. "But don't call her that directly to her face, she gets real touchy."  
  
"Hey, I'm right here," Sal pointed out. She looked passed Koshiro. "I can't believe it! She went right up to it and  
rubbed her hands over the armor. "Incredible, looks like a replica of the old RX-78 model. Maybe even one of the GMs.  
Lunar-titanium alloy, they don't make 'em like this any more. Ah yes, a time when Mobile Suit construction was more than  
just how many guns you can fit on a frame hmm... doesn't look like it's been equipped with AMBAC yet. Where'd you find  
this, it's obviously incomplete."  
  
"It... was... during a salvage operation. We were on Earth looking for stuff to..."  
  
"You went to Earth? Very gutsy. Earth Federation's in the middle of a nasty war. Surprised you guys didn't get caught  
up in it."  
  
"So what do you think?" Koshiro asked. "Will you be able to fix it?"  
  
"Fix it?" Sal got up close in his face, making him lean back. "What kind of an ape-like Earthnoid do you think I am?"  
  
Lee's eyebrow twitched.  
  
"When it comes to Mobile Suit fixing, Sal's one of the best," Vic vouched. "We'll have them fixed by tomorrow  
afternoon. Why don't you two go to Von Braun and take a look around. I'm guessing this is your first time to the  
moon."  
  
"Yes," Lee admitted. "It's our first time away from the Colony."  
  
"Well, you'll be in for a treat. In Von Braun, anything's possible." Vic wiggled his eyebrows at Koshiro who blushed.  
  
"Thank you," Lee said. "We'll be back tomorrow. And the two pilots headed for the exit.  
  
"They're from Earth," Sal said casually once they were out of sight.  
  
"Yup," Vic agreed.  
  
"So what do you think, should we help them?"  
  
"Earthnoid, spacenoid, a job's a job. Besides, would you turn down the opportunity to investigate the insides of a real  
live Gundam?"  
  
"Good point, Vic."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Officer Tasha Benson was half-asleep at her station when she received the signal. It had been slow after the battle  
with the Marasai. Captain Lucas initialized a one-on, three-off schedule with a six hour rotation. Unfortunately, for  
Tasha, she drew the short straw and got the graveyard shift. Her eyes were just on the verge of closing when her consol  
beeped. She checked it out, then called the Captain. "Captain Lucas to the bridge."  
  
It was a full ten minutes before the Captain came onto the bridge, still straightening his uniform jacket.  
  
"Tasha, what is it?"  
  
"Captain, something tripped the long-range sensor probe we set out to detect enemy movement."  
  
"Analysis," he requested sitting in his chair.  
  
"Ships, sir. A lot of them."  
  
"Affiliation?"  
  
"Unknown."  
  
Captain Lucas picked up the phone and keyed in the intercom. "Attention all crew, report to your duty stations. All  
crew report to your duty stations." It was a few minutes before the bridge crew piled in, some of them still putting  
on their uniform jackets.  
  
"Officer Nyoko, please man the communication station in Lieutenant Commander Moshiro's absence."  
  
"Yes sir," Enlisted Officer Keela Nyoko agreed. She sat in Lee's chair and put on the helmet. "Shall I open up  
a comm. line, sir?"  
  
"Not yet. Let's see who it is first."  
  
The ship that passed by them was pink and looked like a body with its knees pulled up against its chest. Then, to  
everyone's surprise, it began to "unfold" (for lack of better term) into a Zaku-like Mobile Suit.  
  
"A Mobile Suit that can transform!" Commander Ming Xiao gasped. "Now I've seen everything."  
  
"Twins, any chance that they noticed us yet?"  
  
"Not yet, sir," the Twins replied.  
  
"Good, do a scan before it leaves our range."  
  
"Height of Mobile Suit is measured to be at least 20 meters," Tasha said.  
  
"Weight measure at best guess is over 90 tons," Victor Lenard continued.  
  
"No weapons array of any type detected."  
  
"Looks like its destination is... Mars!"  
  
"What's that? Hmmm... Muro, have we received any transmission from Koshiro or Lee yet?"  
  
"Not yet, sir. Their ETA at Anaheim has already passed," informed Muro Okawa.  
  
"Well, let's do a little snooping, shall we. Keela, try to contact Koshiro and Lee."  
  
"Apparently they are one step ahead of you, sir. I'm receiving a transmission from them right now."  
  
"I'll take it," Captain Lucas volunteered.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Hey Vic, take a look at this," Sal called from inside the B-Gundam. Vic moved a levitating platform over to her.  
  
"What'cha got, Sal?"  
  
"This is remarkable."  
  
"Yeah, I'll say. How the heck does the kid see through this thing?"  
  
"Not that. Look at this." Sal pointed to a panel she uncovered from behind the chair. Underneath several wires was a  
jet-black panel. She pointed to her analyzer that she hooked up to the B-Gundam's computer system. "This panel isn't  
registering on my scans."  
  
"A black box!" Vic said squeezing into the cockpit beside his assistant.  
  
"I figured as much. I never seen a Gundam up close before, let alone examine its insides, but doesn't this look suspicious  
to you?"  
  
"Have you tried activating it."  
  
"What kind of an idiot do you take me for, Vic? Of course I tried that, but no matter what I do, it won't seem to open  
up to me." Sal took off her hat and wiped the sweat from her dull orange hair. "It must contain something really  
important."  
  
"All right, here's what you do, do a scan around the black box, see if it's isolated or whether it's connected to  
anything."  
  
"Right." Sal played around with her scanner. "What the hey? It's connected right to the interface system. Whatever  
that thing is, it receives the pilot's brainwave transmissions almost like a psycommu system."  
  
"What do you think, that kid's a Newtype?"  
  
Sal stared off a little. "I... don't think so. I mean we already know he's from Earth so the chances that he's a  
Newtype is highly unlikely."  
  
"But why else would it have this... pseudo-psycommu system?"  
  
"Well there is one possibility... nah, I doubt it. Earth Federation isn't that advanced." Sal gave him a questioning  
glance. "It's crazy, but... never mind, probably not possible. Hey, shake a leg, kid, we gotta get these repairs done  
or else the pilot's going to have a fit."  
  
"Why does everybody insist on calling me kid? Do I look like a kid? Wait, don't answer that. I'll get it done, Chief."  
  
"Hey, don't call me, Chief."  
  
"I'll stop calling you Chief only when you stop calling me kid." Vic floated back to working on the Starlight but Sal  
wondered what Vic thought the black box was.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"All right, I understand," Lee said into her communicator. "Roger, will rendezvous with you tomorrow by 1600 hours at  
the latest... sorry, I can't be any more specific. Okay, over and out."  
  
"Hey, Lee," Koshiro greeted coming into the crew cabin that they were sharing. The two had checked in to a hotel that,  
according to the manager, used to be barracs. "I've got dinner."  
  
"I just talked to the Exalon," Lee informed him. "We're suppose to rendezvous with them tomorrow afternoon."  
  
"That's good," Koshiro said as he threw her a wrapped burger. "I guess we just sit tight until then." He opened up  
his own burger.  
  
"Koshiro, what do you think the history of the Gundam is?"  
  
"Huh?" Koshiro asked with his mouth full of burger.  
  
"That girl, Sal, she said that the B-Gundam was a 'replica of the old RX-78 model.'"  
  
"Come to think of it, Keela said the same thing when we first met in Modouken," Koshiro said.  
  
"I heard from Commander Xiao that Mr. Nicholson was almost stupified when Captain Lucas mentioned the B-Gundam.  
Apparently, it has a reputation."  
  
"Good or bad?"  
  
"Beats me."  
  
Koshiro took a drink from his soda. "Okay, let's see what we know so far. We know that the Gundam that we currently have  
isn't the first of its kind. The registry number on the B-Gundam when we found it was RX-83, probably a tribute to the  
year it was completed in. You know, 0083."  
  
"We also know that with the exception of Keela, nobody on Earth has heard of the Gundam-class Mobile Suit," Lee threw in.  
  
"But the Gundam was found in an Earth Federation bunker."  
  
"For all we know, the Gundam-class Mobile Suit has always been around and we just forgot about it."  
  
"Yeah, right, what are the chances of the whole planet forgetting about something as huge as that?"  
  
"Good point." Lee crumpled up the burger wrapper and back-tossed it directly into the trash can (which would've been  
impressive, had zero-g not be a factor). "On Earth, the only Mobile Suits I've seen are the Zakus."  
  
"Not necessarily," Koshiro said. "Remember that blue Mobile Suit with the tentacle that attacked us after the Enterprise  
was destroyed? Well, it didn't look like a Zaku. It was a different type of Mobile Suit."  
  
Lee rubbed her temples. "Trying to remember why we don't know what a Gundam is is giving me a headache. I'm going to  
bed." Lee unzipped her flightsuit's top half. Koshiro thought he would have to cover or at least avert his eyes but it  
was unnecessary since she was wearing an Earth Federation-issue tank top.  
  
"Good night," Koshiro said and turned off the light, deciding to get some sleep as well.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"There it is," Muro announced. "Mars, the red planet."  
  
"Looks more red-orange to me," Victor cracked causing Tasha to elbow him in the rib. On the planet surface, one could  
see a large number of black dots.  
  
"Look like quite the party," Captain Lucas said. "Let's go down and see what they're celebrating."  
  
"We can use one of our new Space Core Fighters," Commander Xiao offered.  
  
"Good idea. Let's go." Captain Lucas turned to leave the bridge.  
  
"Captain, wait, you're not thinking of going down there by yourself, are you?" Muro asked almost frightened.  
  
"I just have a feeling," Captain Lucas replied.  
  
"Then... then I volunteer to go with you!"  
  
"Captain, I must agree with her," Commander Xiao threw in. "Earth Federation protocol states that should the Captain  
leave the ship and go into a potentially hostile situation, that he should have a guard with him at all times."  
  
"All right, Muro," Captain Lucas said with a smile. "I'll see you down in the launch bay in fifteen minutes." And with  
those words, he left the Bridge. Muro soon followed.  
  
"You know, if I didn't know better, I could've sworn that he planned it that way," Victor thought out loud causing Tasha  
to elbow him again.  
  
"Oh brother," she groaned. "If you don't get it by now, I doubt you'll ever get it."  
  
When Muro came into the launch bay, she saw Captain Lucas sitting in the cockpit seat of a two-seat Core Fighter.  
  
"Captain, what are you doing?" Muro asked.  
  
"Relax, Muro, I used to be a pilot, remember?"  
  
"But flying in the air and flying in space are two different things."  
  
"So is flying a flagship and flying a Mobile Suit."  
  
"Touche," Muro admitted. She climbed up behind him.  
  
"Core Fighter to Exalon," Captain Lucas called. "Ready to launch."  
  
"Roger, Core Fighter," Keela said from the Bridge's communication station. "Standby for launch." The main bay opened.  
  
"Core Fighter, launching!" The Core Fighter shot out of the Exalon and immediately began a slow descent around Mars.  
  
"We're taking a roundabout way to get down there," Muro commented.  
  
"It's always better to come in the back way, especially when you don't want the hosts to know you're coming."  
  
"I never thought of that," Muro said. "And I call myself a pilot."  
  
"There are just some things you can learn only from experience."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"No, no don't make me, I don't want to..." Koshiro opened his eyes. The room was pitch dark. The digital clock read  
3:47a.m. Koshiro looked towards the bed next to him. Lee was tossing and turning, mutely talking in her sleep.  
"No, don't kill... don't kill him! Stop, I won't... no, no, NO!"  
  
"Lee, Lee," Koshiro caled shaking her shoulder. "Lee, wake up!"  
  
With a loud gasp, Lee sat up in her bed, panting heavily. She looked around in a frantic, finally spotted Koshiro.  
"Oh, Koshiro!" She embraced him fiercely, like the time when he took on the AMEC on the Enterprise ruins. "Thank God,  
I was afraid I killed you."  
  
"It's okay, Lee, it was just a nightmare."  
  
"It... felt so real. Koshiro... don't leave, stay here with me for a while."  
  
"It's okay, Lee, I won't go anywhere unless you want me to."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
{_Lee is one of the strongest people I know_,} Koshiro thought as he continued to comfort her. {_What could've spooked   
her so much_?}  
  
{_It felt so real_,} Lee was thinking. {_It was like an uncontrollable urge to kill. Oh God, I'm so grateful that Koshiro's  
here_.}  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Prime Minister Seamus Asif came into the control room where Adviser Ben Hoshum was overseeing a delicate operation.  
  
"Mister Hoshum," Seamus addressed remembering how he hated being called "Adviser Hoshum" "Any luck in contacting Delta  
Source?"  
  
"No, ma'am, but we confirmed that she's no longer on Earth."  
  
"No longer on Earth? You mean she's dead?"  
  
"No, not in that sense. She's literally not on Earth any more. At last transmission, she was ascending in the flagship."  
  
"I see. Any way we could get a transmission out to her."  
  
"We've been trying for the past three hours," one of the operators said. "We got through a couple of times but not  
enough to send a clear command. It's this technology, Miss Seamus, it's over five years old."  
  
"It can't be helped. We'll have to leave her alone for now," Seamus said. "Send her into dormancy for a while.   
When she returns to Earth, let me know."  
  
"Yes, ma'am," the technician replied.  
  
"Miss Seamus," Ben said as they left. "Don't you think you're relying a little too much on Delta Source, even though  
she's your only source of information."  
  
"She's not the only source," Seamus revealed surprising Ben. "We have three sources named Delta, Gamma, and Beta.   
Two are human spies that we have infiltrated within the Earth Federation. The third is within the very information   
network of the enemy. These three information sources act independently of each other but Delta Source is the most  
delicate. That's why we pay so much attention to it."  
  
The two passed by a construction bunker where a skeleton of a large Mobile Suit is seen. Ben gasped at it.  
  
"Second Prime Minister Howard's little project. Should be completed next month," Seamus informed him.  
  
"It's big," Ben commented. "But I don't think it can stand up against Archangel."  
  
"You're really proud of Archangel, aren't you?" Seamus asked casually. "Did someone give it to you?"  
  
"Not exactly. I just found it one day. In no time at all, I could pilot it."  
  
"Wow, and you're no older than I am. I guess we both had to assume adult responsibilities at an early age."  
  
"Is there a point to this conversation?" Ben asked annoyed.  
  
"Sorry, no, I guess there isn't..." Miss Seamus said withdrawing.  
  
Ben sighed. "I apologize for my attitude, I'm not much of a talker."  
  
"No, I apologize. I pried into something I shouldn't have. It's one of the bad habits I picked up from my father."  
  
The two arrived at the throne room. Second Prime-Minister Howard was watching a news broadcast on the 3-D monitor.  
  
"Ah, you two arrived just in time. Listen."  
  
On the monitor came an image of an old man in an Earth Federation uniform.  
  
"My name is Councilman Harvey Bennett of the Earth Federation Council. As of 1400 hours local time today, the Earth  
Federation Council has agreed to surrender their remaining control of Earth to the Alliance of Middle-Eastern Countries.  
The Earth Federation military has been disbanded and political control has been turned over to the regional govenors  
until the AMEC can establish a political body. However, I implore to the AMEC leadership body, in the name of all  
humanity, that they govern Earth fairly and justly. After nearly 200 years of governing, it is time to pass the torch.  
It will be up to AMEC to keep that torch lit and not let it go out."  
  
"Mercy plea," Ben said in a pish-posh voice.  
  
"Congratulations, Miss Seamus, you have won," Second Prime-Minister Howard said.  
  
"Yes, but it was at a heavy cost."  
  
"And is all things achieved," Howard agreed.  
  
"Second Prime-Minister Howard, inform Operations to begin ascent."  
  
When Operations got the signal, they were wary. "This stuff hasn't been used for years," one technician comented.  
"It better still work otherwise I'd be really pissed off."  
  
On the surface, the desert started shaking. Then slowly, pylons raised a large four-story building out of the sand.  
  
The Asif Fortress has risen.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Very interesting," Captain Lucas commented as he and Muro watched from a crater. "A lot of Mobile Suits. Marasai,  
Jegans, and some I have no idea what they are."  
  
"This seems like quite the little pow-wow," Muro agreed.  
  
"Let's go and say hello, shall we?" Lucas and Muro had left their space Core Fighter far off and proceeded up to that  
point on foot. They got up and proceeded into the camp.  
  
They didn't get very far when two Jegan Mobile Suits appeared and aimed Mobile Suit-size machine guns at them.  
  
"Perhaps we should've called ahead," Lucas joked putting his hands up.  
  
"It's probably invitation only," Muro threw in while mimicing his gesture.  
  
About half-a-dozen space-suited guards came out and aimed rifles at them.  
  
"Identify yourselves," one of the guards ordered. The voice was female, but harsh.  
  
"I'm Captain Noah Lucas and this is Lieutenant Commander Muro Okawa. We're from the Exalon."  
  
"You were that ship seen leaving Side-6 the other day. Give me one good reason why we shouldn't shoot you on the spot."  
  
"Because we're not allied with Side-6. We're from Earth."  
  
"Yeah right, and I'm a Newtype."  
  
"You can call yourself whatever you want," Lucas retorted. "What I tell you is the truth."  
  
"Lieutenant," one of the other guards touched his helmet to the leader's. "What if they're telling the truth."  
  
"They were seen leaving Side-6. They had Side-6's Mobile Suits back them up. I know they're lying."  
  
"We have a Gundam," Lucas stated matter-of-factly. All the guards were taken-back by that revelation. Lucas  
continued, "That's right. I'm not sure what this little group meeting of yours is, but if you don't want us to sick it  
on you, then put those guns away and let's talk."  
  
"Lieutenant," the same guard said. "I'm not eager to go up against a Gundam. Our Mobile Suits wouldn't stand a chance."  
  
The Lieutenant sighed and shouldered her rifle. "Fine, come with us." She lead them into one of the buildings. "There's  
oxygen in here so it's safe to take off your helmets." To prove it, she took off her own helmet. She was Japanese from  
her features. Her dark hair was cut pixie short and there was sweat glistening off her face. Lucas and Muro followed  
suite.  
  
"I'm Lieutenant Rena Ishiyama," she greeted. "Now, tell me what you're really doing here."  
  
"Captain," Muro started to say.  
  
Lucas held out a hand silencing her. "It's okay, Muro. Perhaps its best if they know the truth." He stared right into  
Lieutenant Ishiyama's eyes. "You see, Lieutenant, I wasn't lying when I said we're from Earth. More specifically, the  
Earth Federation."  
  
"Well I'll be," Ishiyama said smirking. "I never thought I'd see an Earthnoid way out here."  
  
"The Earth Federation is losing its battle against AMEC. We'll need the Colonies help if we're to survive."  
  
"Interesting, but we have our own war to fight against."  
  
"Against who? If you mean the Earth Federation, you'll find that we'll go down easy, especially considering all the  
different types of Mobile Suits you have."  
  
"Our fight is against Side-6."  
  
"Side-6, how come?"  
  
"Martin controls Side-6, but she's currently trying to gain political power in other Colonies. Sides 2, 4, and 7 have  
been trying to plan some type of action against her."  
  
"What about Side 1 and Side 3?"  
  
"Side 3's moved too far out to be of any effective strategic use so we're using it as a supply base. And Side 1 was   
destroyed fifteen years ago. Reah's doing. We thought it was best not to re-build it, at least, not until our battle  
with Side-6 is over."  
  
"So it's you three colonies against just one? Sounds like you guys have the fair advantage."  
  
"You're wrong," Ishiyama said as the other guards dismissed themselves. Ishiyama led Lucas and Muro down a hallway.  
"Martin is using her own citizens as hostages. She's threatened that if any heavy retaliation was used against them,  
then she would self-destruct all the settlements in her Colony and escape. And trust me, she's not bluffing."  
  
"Lieutenant Ishiyama," Lucas addressed. "Can you bring a message to your Colony leaders?"  
  
"About what?"  
  
"A proposition. Say this, 'we'll assist you in your battle if you assist us in ours.'"  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
When Koshiro awoke next, it was morning. The digital clock read 10:37 a.m. He looked over and looked at his bed,  
wrinkled but other than that unslept in. He looked over his other side and saw Lee resting peacefully next to him.  
  
{_I guess she didn't have any more nightmares last night_,} Koshiro guessed. He got up and went into the bathroom to  
splash some water on his face. When he came out, Lee was zipping up her flight suit.  
  
"Koshiro, thanks again for last night," Lee said. "Sorry you had to see me like that."  
  
"It's all right," Koshiro said. "I hope you're okay."  
  
"I am, thanks. I used to have horrible nightmares as a child. I thought I was over them when I joined the Earth  
Federation. I guess some of them still remain."  
  
Koshiro thought it was best not to remind her of what she dreamed about. Instead, he said, "Let's go see if Vic and  
Sal fixed our Mobile Suits..." Koshiro's stomach audibly growled. He blushed, "Um... right after we get some  
breakfast."  
  
Koshiro had never seen Lee laugh so hard.  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
After breakfast, Koshiro and Lee floated over to Anaheim. The first thing they noticed upon entering the bay where  
their Mobile Suits were being worked on was the B-Gundam with its right arm reattached. Sal was putting the finishing  
touches on the connection circuitry inside the shoulder panel.  
  
"Well, I hope you two had a pleasant night," Vic said with a sly smile.  
  
Koshiro and Lee shared a look. "More or less," Koshiro replied.  
  
Vic laughed. "That's what I thought. By the way, kid, I need to talk to ya' about something." He pulled Koshiro into  
a corner. Lee was about to follow but Sal stopped her.  
  
"Forget it, they're just talking about Mobile Suit stuff."  
  
"Oh."  
  
Sal scowled. "I swear, if it's big and has circuitry, they can talk about it for hours. Men."  
  
"Hey Sal, can I ask you something. Do you moon dwellers have something against Govenor Martin."  
  
"Hey, first of all, we're called lunarians. But a spacenoid like you should know that, huh?" Lee could see that she was  
busted, and by a kid Koshiro's age, no less. Sal laughed and slapped Lee's upper back almost making her topple over.  
"Don't worry, we knew you were earthnoids all along."  
  
"Uh... sorry."  
  
"Forget about it. And in answer to your question, she's been rulling with an iron fist ever since she was elected."  
  
{_She almost sounds like the AMEC leaders_,} Lee thought. She heard rumors that the AMEC leader was a fascist in every  
sense of the word. She killed the previous leader and assumed the leadership role in his place. But of course, those  
are just rumors.  
  
"Come on, let me show you what we did to your Mobile Suit." Sal showed Lee the omnidirectional communication  
network, the sensors installed in the hands, and even the emergency evacuation pod (to be used in case of  
emergencies, Sal said).  
  
Koshiro floated over to the B-Gundam. "Come on, Lee, let's go."  
  
Lee felt that something was wrong with Koshiro. "Koshiro, is something the matter?"  
  
"Um... no, nothing's wrong. Come on, we need to get back."  
  
The two Mobile Suits lift off as Vic came up behind his assistant.  
  
"So you told him?" Sal asked.  
  
"Yup," Vic confirmed. "He was just as shocked as I thought he would be."  
  
"I find it hard to believe that a Gundam can be programmed that way."  
  
"True. Then again, them newtypes are pretty incredible people."  
  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon joins forces with the other Colonies to free Side 6 from Govenor Martin. But Govenor Martin reveals that  
she has a few tricks up her sleeve that prove more than a match for their combined forces. But Koshiro reveals the  
B-Gundam's hidden power, which just might be enough to turn things around.  
  
Next episode: G-Mode.  
  
Man and Machine acting as one. 


	19. G Mode

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
Koshiro Anaka and Lee Moshiro have traveled to the Mobile Suit facility called Anaheim on the moon in order to get their Mobile Suits repaired and upgraded. While they did that, Captain Lucas and Lieutenant Okawa discovered that the other Colonies had been forming an alliance to stop Govenor Martin, the leader of Side 6. Captain Lucas made an offer to the Colony leaders: if the Exalon would help them stop Govenor Martin, then they would agree to assist the Earth Federation in taking back Earth from AMEC.  
  
[Episode 19: G-Mode]  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The B-Gundam and Starlight Guncannon floated away from the Moon. The B-Gundam's space apparatus (which were mainly vernier thrusters) had been removed and, according to Vic, the technician at Anaheim Electronics, disposed of. It was replaced with an AMBAC system. Vic said it would help Koshiro move about more freely than the apparatus.  
  
Lee had her monitors rebuilt and better than ever. Sal, Vic's assistant, said she installed a new scanning system that, according to her, can cut through Minovsky interference.  
  
Suddenly, blasts of energy wizzed by them. They turned and saw several Jegan Mobile Suits coming towards them. And they recognized them.  
  
"It's Side 6's Mobile Suits," Lee realized.  
  
"Something tells me they don't want to ask us for directions," Koshiro said as he put up his beam shield. "Lee, we can't kill them."  
  
"Try telling that to them," Lee said as she raised Starlight's arm allowing the energy from a beam weapon to pass harmlessly by her. She turned and fired her cannons. The shafts of energy destroyed the arms on one Jegan and left it floating in deep space. The B-Gundam punched the face of another Jegan in, then threw it at two of its buddies.  
  
As the B-Gundam grappled with a Jegan, Koshiro heard a voice over his contact link. "Gundam Mobile Suit, by order of Govenor Martin, we must bring you in."  
  
"On what charges?"  
  
"Conspiring with the enemy."  
  
"What? That's ridiculous!" Koshiro grabbed his beam saber and stabbed the Jegan in the shoulder. "Tell Govenor Martin that we're not Colony citizens and therefore, not bound by her laws."  
  
"Failure to comply will result in your destruction."  
  
{_This guy has a one-track mind_,} Koshiro thought. He turned to Lee and found that she had finished off the others. Some of the Jegans were nothing but hunks of metal.  
  
"I know, I know, you said not to kill them," Lee said sensing Koshiro's annoyance. "Well, it's not like I wanted to."  
  
"I guess it can't be helped."  
  
Suddenly a new Mobile Suit attached to a large jet that was similar-looking to a Core Fighter appeared. It had a Zaku design but bigger and broader. It had two spike-like fins on its forehead.  
  
"That's one buffed-up Zaku," Lee said. She fired her cannons. The two shafts of energy just bounced off the large Mobile Suit's arms which it held up to block it. "It took a direct attack and doesn't even have singed armor!"  
  
"Lee, let's get out of here." The B-Gundam grabbed Starlight by the hand and flew off. Beam energy strafed them as the large Mobile Suit gave chase. "We're approaching one of the Colonies."  
  
"Let's hope it's friend and not foe." The B-Gundam and Starlight widened the distance between the enemy Mobile Suit and themselves. Suddenly, a familiar-looking ship rose in between them. It was the Exalon which fired its mega-  
particle cannon that was situated in between the two launch bays. The Mobile Suit had a tough time trying to block it.  
  
"B-Gundam, this is the Exalon." The voice was Keela Niyoko. "Stay at your current location, we'll take care of the Gelgoog." More ships appeared on the horizon. Some of them looked like the AMEC ship that  
  
"The Gel-what?" Lee asked Koshiro who simply shrugged.  
  
"Exalon, this is the B-Gundam. Acknowledge."  
  
The Exalon fired its cannon again. This time, the blast sent the Gelgoog spinning out of control. The B-Gundam and Starlight were retrieved.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
When Koshiro and Lee arrived on the bridge, they saw a few new faces on the bridge including a woman in a space suit.  
  
"Welcome back, Koshiro, Lee," Captain Noah Lucas greeted.  
  
"Captain, who are your new friends?" Lee asked.  
  
"It appears that Govenor Martin's uptightness is more than just a product of her upbringing," Captain Lucas replied.  
  
"What do you mean?" Koshiro asked.  
  
Captain Lucas looked in the direction of Lieutenant Rena Ishiyama, their liaison with the Colonies. She nodded.  
Lucas called up, "Twins, play it."  
  
"Yes, sir!" Tasha Benson and Victor Lenard agreed. On the overhead monitor was an image of a colony.  
  
"This is one of Side 1's colony settlements," Ishiyama explained. Koshiro and Lee gasped as the large cylindrical structure exploded into nothingness. The picture switched to another settlement. For a moment, Koshiro thought that the tape was repeating itself, but then he saw that it turned and started to move in the direction of another settlement. The two settlements collided.  
  
"It's pretty much the same thing," Lieutenant Ishiyama said. "An entire colony wiped out all because Govenor Martin couldn't get her way."  
  
"Govenor Martin wiped out an entire colony?" Koshiro couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
  
"Sad, but true," Captain Lucas confirmed. "She sent infiltrators to each settlement and either self-destruct it or,  
failing that, ram it into other settlements."  
  
"But why would she do something so horrible?" Lee asked.  
  
"For a long time, Govenor Martin had been debating the option of having one Govenor ruling all the Colonies, but nobody would hear of it. They knew she was just trying to take over herself. But none of us thought she would stoop to such a means to get what she wants."  
  
"Sounds like Martin's nothing more than a spoiled child," Lee said crossing her arms.  
  
"Precisely," Ishiyama agreed.  
  
"We agreed that if we were to capture Martin and bring her before a Tribunal, they will help us take care of AMEC,"  
Captain Lucas threw in.  
  
"Then let's do it," Koshiro said. "Captain, I'll gladly lend them the B-Gundam's aid if the Colonies need it."  
  
"Starlight too," Lee threw in.  
  
Lucas nodded. "Right, we'll need it. Get ready, you two. Our mission begins in three hours."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Govenor Martin," one of her aides greeted.  
  
"Has there been any word from the Gelgoog."  
  
"Yes, ma'am. Before he was destroyed, the pilot reported through sub-relays that the Gundam-class Mobile Suit and the Guncannon that left Anaheim earlier today has rendezvous with the Exalon as well as ships belonging to other Colonies."  
  
"I see, so even they're getting in. Very well then, it's time to show them once and for all. Prepare all our defenses."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The forces of the other Colonies settled into orbit around Side 6. The Exalon, in addition to its two Mobile Suits, were carrying Lieutenant Ishiyama's Powered GM as well as several GS suits. Koshiro and Lee waited in their Mobile Suits to be launched. Meanwhile, the Colony leaders were broadcasting their plan to the forces from the safety of Side-3.  
  
"Our Mobile Suits will act as our advance strike force and clear the way for our ships. Our primary task will be to find Martin and bring her in alive. Try to avoid civilian casualty if possible. Although knowing Martin, she will use them as shields."  
  
"All right," Captain Lucas said once the Colony leaders were finished broadcasting to them. "Launch all Mobile Suits now!"  
  
"Launch B-Gundam!" Koshiro shouted.  
  
"Launch Starlight!"  
  
"Launch GM Powered!"  
  
Koshiro, Lee, Ishiyama, and the others were ejected into deep space. They advanced towards the first Colony of Side-6.  
  
Suddenly a side panel opened up and an elongated tube was raised.  
  
"A mass driver!" Ishiyama cried. "Everyone stay away from it!"  
  
The mass driver launched an asteroid which collided with several GS suits and sent them spiraling.  
  
"A mass driver?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"In simplest terms, it's king of like a giant catapult," Ishiyama explained.  
  
"I'll get it," Lee volunteered and fired her cannons. The cannons did little to damage the mass driver. "Wow, that thing's tough!"  
  
"The best way to beat a mass driver is to stay as far away as possible. Everyone circle around. The MS force split up into two sections, each going around the mass driver.  
  
But no sooner had they come across that, then they came upon another obsticle. A bulky red Mobile Suit with a giant gun."  
  
"Is that a Gelgoog?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"No, it's a Gerbera!" Ishiyama identified. "Those things were outlawed fifty years ago!"  
  
"Try telling Martin that," Lee said.  
  
"I'll take care of it," Koshiro volunteered. "Lee, you and Miss Ishiyama move in."  
  
"Right. Let's go."  
  
"Good luck, Koshiro. Please don't die on me."  
  
"Don't worry, Lee, dying's not on my schedule today." The B-Gundam moved in. The Gerbera aimed its beam machine gun and fired. Koshiro banked the B-Gundam, grateful that Vic installed the AMBAC. He countered with his own vulcans but all they did was bounce off the Gerbera's armor. Koshiro fired his beam rifle but the Gerbera quickly dodged. Before Koshiro could draw another bead on it, it moved in close and slugged the B-Gundam in its stomach. "AAAAHHHHHH!" Koshiro yelled, surprised that for a large Mobile Suit, it was excellent at close-quarters combat. "Well... maybe I'll have to re-think my schedule."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Twins," Captain Lucas called. "Ready our main particle cannon! We'll blow that mass driver out of space!"  
  
"Right," the Twins agreed.  
  
"Wait," Commander Ming Xiao said. "What's that?" She pointed to several strange ships that were appearing in the distance.  
  
Jeffrey Palmer, who was part of Ishiyama's liaison team to the Exalon, cried out, "They're Mobile Armors!"  
  
"Mobile Armors? Are they anything like Mobile Suits?" Lucas asked.  
  
"They're deadlier than Mobile Suits." He began pointing them out. "Bigro, Elmeth, Braw Bro, even a Zakrello! How did Martin get all of them? She must've been planning this for years!"  
  
"Any way to stop them?" Lucas asked.  
  
"Not that I know of."  
  
"Change of plans," Lucas announced. "Shinji, aim our mega particle cannon at the nearest Mobile Armor and fire!"  
  
The Zakrello moved in first, firing its scattered mega particle cannon. Muro Okawa, the helmswoman, jerked the Exalon to the right. The Exalon fired its mega particle cannon and destroyed the Zakrello. The others retaliated by ganging up on the Exalon, particularly the bridge.  
  
The bridge shook so hard that even people who were sitting down fell to the floor. Victor lost his balance and fell to the floor hard, his head bleeding.  
  
"Victor!" Tasha called out.  
  
Tasha's scream caught Captain Lucas' attention and called out, "Keela, get a stretcher up here!"  
  
Keela called the medical bay for a stretcher while Commander Xiao ran to attempt to stop the bleeding.  
  
"Shinji, fire the cannon!" Lucas ordered. Shinji fired it and blew a hole in the side of the Braw Bro.  
  
{_I knew this wasn't going to be easy_,} Captain Lucas thought. {_But these guys are not like AMEC. They're more experienced with Mobile Suits, plus they have ones with more power and skill than even the B-Gundam! Think, Lucas,  
remember what Grandpa wrote in his journal. These things must have a weakness somewhere_.}  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The B-Gundam fell backwards from the assault made by the Gerbera's 110 milimeter machine cannon.  
  
"If you think I'm going to fall that easy, you're sadly mistaken," Koshiro said. He fired his beam rifle. The blast bounced off some sort of forcefield. "No!" The Gerbera moved in again and this time, shoulder-charged the B-  
Gundam. It gave the B-Gundam a one-two punch combo.  
  
{_This is insane_!} Koshiro thought. {_Despite being as big as a building, it's fast, and can fight well at close-  
quarter. I'm going to have to figure out a new strategy to beat him_.} The B-Gundam shook from an assault. {_Problem is this guy isn't letting me_.} "Fine," Koshiro said out loud. "You may be good at hand-to-hand..." He shouldered the beam rifle and put together his beam lance. "So let see how you do when it's lance-to-saber." The Gerbera drew a rather large beam saber. "So you think your sword is as big as mine? Well, let's see how you use it!" The two Mobile Suits moved in to close-quarter combat. The Gerbera brought its beam saber down in a verticle slice. Koshiro used the center of the lance to block then brought the underside of it up. The Gerbera flew back and made a stabbing movement with its saber. The B-Gundam twisted and mimiced the gesture with its lance. The two Mobile Suits mirrored strike for strike, block for block.  
  
{_I hope Lee's having better luck than me_.}  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
{_I hope Koshiro's having more fun than me_,} Lee thought. She, Ishiyama, and their squadrons of GS came across another hazard: the Side 6's Jegan force. Over 80 Jegans had cut them off from the rest.  
  
She moved in for close-quarters combat. She grappled with a Jegan as a voice came over her contact link (another feature that Sal installed).  
  
"Exalon Guncannon, please desist this attack at once! I don't want to destroy you." Lee recognized the voice. It was Mister Nicholson, the man who helped them against the Marasai.  
  
"Mister Nicholson?"  
  
"I like you guys, really," Nicholson said as he put pressure on Starlight's hands. "But I must defend Side-6 no matter the cost."  
  
"I thought you didn't like Govenor Martin."  
  
"Believe me, I'm not very fond of her, but I am a soldier and a soldier must follow orders. I'm sorry."  
  
Despite herself, Lee chuckled. "You're right,a soldier must follow orders. And my orders are to capture Govenor Martin.  
I'm sorry too."  
  
"It's obvious that one of us will die this day, so do me a favor. Make me work for it. Fight at your very hardest."  
  
"Right." Ishiyama took a beam saber from an enemy Jegan and threw it to Starlight. Starlight caught it and ignited it.  
The two clashed their sabers then clashed again.  
  
"You're not bad," Nicholson commented.  
  
"Right back at you," Lee returned. The two kept clashing, neither one letting up. Finally, as Nicholson raised his beam saber over his head, Lee thrust her own beam saber forward and stabbed Nicholson's Jegan in the chest. Sparks began flying out of it.  
  
"Well-done, Guncannon. I knew you were no ordinary pilot. You're someone special."  
  
_["You are more important to this war than any soldier."]_ Lee gasped. The AMEC Captain Raven said something along those same lines. It was like total strangers knew a secret about her that not even she knew.  
  
"Never lose that fire, that passion," Nicholson coached. "That fire is what separates the victors from the defeated.  
Go ahead, Starlight Guncannon, be a victor." The Jegan fell away before exploding.  
  
{_I'm sorry, Mister Nicholson_,} Lee wanted to say. {_But I'll keep what you said in my heart and I'll do it, I'll never lose my fire_.} With her silent vow made, she returned to battle, using her newly-aquired beam saber to slice up enemy Jegans.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Gerbera pushed the B-Gundam into the side of one of the Side-6 colony settlements, making a Gundam-size imprint in the gleeming hull. According to the system readout, the B-Gundam was losing power with each attack the Gerbera made. Koshiro fired the vulcans again but just like before, they just bounced off the Gerbera's armor.  
  
{_This can't end like this_!} Koshiro cried out in his mind. {_I can't be destroyed. There's still so much I want to do. I want to be with my friends. I want to look out at the stars with Lee, play card games with Henry and hide-and-  
seek with the children. I want to learn more about the Colonies from Keela. I want to pay back AMEC for their hand in destroying Scatterhaven! I want to see Paiyako again, even if it's only for an instant, even if it's in the heat of battle_.} The Gerbera started to crush the B-Gundam's head. What about you, B-Gundam?" Koshiro asked. "I know you don't want to give up." The meters were holding at 35%. "All right, if I'm going down, I'm taking this joker with me. We may be destroyed, but we will make this a battle they will never forget." The Gerbera knocked the beam lance out of the B-Gundam's hand. "We'll make every single surviving pilot we come across look back on this battle and say 'that Gundam Pilot was the toughest pilot I ever came across.' Win or lose, we're both going down fighting! B-Gundam,  
this may be our final hour, but I swear on the graves of everyone who was killed at Scatterhaven that I will not give up,  
not until the very end!"  
  
The cockpit began glowing. Koshiro felt energy coarsing through his body but at the same time he felt the energy drawing out of him. It didn't feel like he was controlling the B-Gundam, he felt like he was the B-Gundam.  
  
"Is... is this what Vic was talking about?"  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
_"A psy-com system?"  
  
"Psycommu," Vic corrected. "In simplest terms, it's like a mind interface between the Mobile Suit and the pilot.  
The G-System, as you call it, operates on the same principles. However, a psycommu system can only be used by Newtypes."  
  
"So you think I'm one of these... Newtypes?"  
  
"No, but I think your Gundam is."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Vic held out a graph. "While I was analyzing your Gundam, I noticed that certain numbers kept appearing in certain places. When graphed out, they look like brainwaves. What's more, the brainwaves match those that are normally emitted by a Newtype."  
  
"Wait a second, Vic, you're not saying..."  
  
Vic tipped his hat. "You got it, kid. It's not the pilot that's the Newtype, it's the Gundam! The G-System is actually the digitized brain patterns of a Newtype."  
  
"So my skills in piloting... they actually come from the G-System?"  
  
"There's more. Under normal circumstances, a Newtype who's in perfect harmony with his Mobile Suit can achieve almost God-like potential with it. Since the Newtype and the Mobile Suit are one and the same, the mental energies emitted by the Newtype would need to expel to something... or someone else."  
  
"That explains the visions I've been having, and the ease I have in operating my Mobile Suit. The G-System has been helping me."  
  
"If you could somehow make your thoughts in synch with that of the G-System, then you would be able to achieve a mode that hasn't been seen in over two hundred years. Kind of like a G-Mode."  
  
"G-Mode, huh? Thanks for the info, Vic, I'll have to chew on it for a while."  
_  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"This must be the G-Mode that Vic was talking about earlier. Now, I'm joined with the G-System."  
  
It grabbed the extinguished beam lance. Two metal spikes came out of the top of it. A double-edged blade lit up and stood almost as tall as the B-Gundam itself. "Now, let's go, B-Gundam!" The B-Gundam's eyes changed from blue to green.  
With one gigantic slice, it cleaved the Gerbera in half. It exploded and the B-Gundam flew through the fire and came out the other side.  
  
"C... Captain Lucas," Tasha called shakily. She was still having trouble accepting that her other half was down in the medical bay right now being attended to. "Sensors are detecting massive power fluxuations coming... from the B-  
Gundam."  
  
"What?! What's the readings on it?"  
  
"Well..." Tasha did some calculations and her face became so white it was almost albino-like. "The levels are currently reading at 120%!"  
  
"My God!" Captain Lucas gasped. "What the hell's going on with Koshiro?" The bridge shook again.  
  
"Captain!" Muro called. She pointed to a blue and white blur that was slicing through enemy Jegans like there was no tomorrow. Nobody could even see the slices being made.  
  
"I've never seen anything like that before," Keela said. "It's almost... supernatural." The blue and white blur twirled and stabbed a Jegan that was approaching from behind. Continuing its twirl, it sliced an enemy Jegan in half.  
It moved so fast that it was like a beam of light. It bore through holes of the remaining Mobile Armors then went for the Mass Driver, slicing it off the Colony it was hooked on.  
  
Koshiro felt the energy leaving him. All of a sudden, he felt tired, like he just ran a ten mile marathon in under five minutes. He felt himself losing consciousness. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was Starlight coming for him.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"It's okay, Koshiro, I have you," Lee said Starlight wrapped her arms around the B-Gundam's waist. She didn't hear anything in reply. "Koshiro? Koshiro! Tasha, can you scan for Koshiro's vitals."  
  
"Yeah. Don't worry, he's still alive. He's probably just unconscious. He was literally moving at the speed of light."  
  
"Thank goodness," Lee said. She then looked towards one of the Side-6 settlements, the one that spawned the Mass Driver. A shuttle was quickly departing it. "Hey, what's that?"  
  
"It's Govenor Martin's escort shuttle," Ishiyama realized. "She's making a break for it. She's heading for Earth!"  
  
"If she gets into Earth's orbit, we'll never catch her," Lee said. "I'm shooting it down."  
  
"Wait, Lee, we'll take care of Martin," Captain Lucas volunteered. "You just hold onto the B-Gundam."  
  
"Understood."  
  
"Henry, full power to engines! We must get her before she enters Earth's orbit."  
  
"I'm giving her all she's got, Captain," Henry said almost comically. "But it's not like we have a tractor beam to grab her in."  
  
"I understand. Tasha, open up the starboard launch bay and ready the emergency net." Normally, the emergency net was used to catch aircrafts that were making a too forceful entry into the Exalon. But Lucas found another use for it.  
"Muro, keep our nose above Earth so that we'll skim off the outer atmosphere." The Exalon accelerated. The docking bay that normally housed Starlight opened up. It swallowed up the shuttle. "Raise net now!" A large black net was raised in front of the shuttle. No matter how hard the shuttle tried, it couldn't break through. Finally, the shuttle was forced to set down. Captain Lucas breathed a sigh of relief. "Good job, everybody. Muro, bring us about, we have a couple of Mobile Suits to retrieve."  
  
"Yes, sir," Muro said thankful that the battle was over.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Koshiro felt comfortable, more comfortable than he ever had before. But that didn't make any sense, it was hard to feel comfortable inside a giant robot in the middle of a space battle. Which meant that he was no longer in that scenario. He opened his eyes.  
  
Koshiro found himself in a bed in the medical bay. His flight suit had been removed and replaced with a cloth hospital gown. Sitting up, he said, "How did I get here?"  
  
"Glad to see you're awake," a voice came from next to him. Koshiro saw Victor sitting up in a bed next to him. He was also in a hospital gown and his head was bandaged.  
  
"Victor? What are you doing here... for that matter, what am I doing here?"  
  
"Well I'm here after taking a nose-dive from my seat. I thought it was a fifteen foot drop, turned out to only be ten."  
He chuckled. "And as for you being here, well Lee said she found you unconscious in your Mobile Suit again."  
  
"Lee... found me?"  
  
"Hell yeah, who do you think kept you from tumbling into Earth's orbit."  
  
"So, did we win? Did we capture Govenor Martin."  
  
"Oh yeah, Tash told me we snared her in our own ship. She's in our brig right now. Tash also told me she's been whining ever since. Good thing we're down here, though I feel sorry for the poor stiff who drew the short straw in guard duty."  
  
Koshiro laughed as the sound of the door opening filled his ears.  
  
"Koshiro!" Koshiro turned and saw Lee floating in the open doorway along with Keela, Henry, Shinji, and the children.  
She pushed off from the wall and flew like Superman towards him. Her eyes were overflowing with happy tears.  
  
"Lee," Koshiro returned floating out of bed. The two met in a life-saving embrace. The momentum causes them to roll around the room as they laughed.  
  
"Koshiro, you were fantastic out there," Lee said. "I never saw you fight with such intensity. It's like you were a completely different person."  
  
"I can't take all the credit," Koshiro said. "It was the G-System. Somehow, it allowed me to fuse with the B-Gundam to become more powerful."  
  
Lee looked at him with a shocked look. "Is... is that what you and Vic were talking about at Anaheim?"  
  
"Yup," Koshiro admitted.  
  
"Koshiro, I was so afraid that I lost you."  
  
"Hey, what about me?" Victor spoke up. "I'm here too."  
  
Lee gave the operator a foolish grin. "Don't worry, Victor, I'm glad you're all right too."  
  
"Well, gee, you don't sound like it." The three had a good laugh as Keela, Henry and the children watched.  
  
"At last, it's finally over," Keela said watching Koshiro and Lee in their strange little wrestling match.  
  
"Yup, it's over," Henry confirmed.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon arrives at Keela's home colony of Side 7 to get repairs for their trip back to Earth as well as observe the trial of Govenor Martin. As Keela shows them around her home, a pair of thugs kidnapp Sonya. It's up to Koshiro,  
Keela, and Benny to save her.  
  
Next episode: Homeward Bound  
  
Be it ever so humble... 


	20. Homeward Bound

Mobile Suit Gundam Century's Dawn  
  
The G-System is actually the brain patterns of a Newtype that were somehow digitized and installed as the OS of a Mobile Suit that was constructed centuries ago. For a long time, the G-System had been waiting for someone to arrive and pilot it into battle as all its predecessors had before it. That person arrived in the form of Koshiro Anaka, a young earthnoid who, despite being untrained, was able to synchronize with the G-System and pilot the Gundam in battle. During a space battle against Side-6, Koshiro was able to fully synchronize with the G-System and release a power that nobody expected it to have. Thanks to the B-Gundam with help from the Starlight Guncannon and the remaining Colonies, the threat of Govenor Paula Martin is over and the the hostages, her own Colony citizens,  
had been set free.  
  
[Episode 20: Homeward Bound.]  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Keela Niyoko scanned the space outside the Exalon's bridge window, looking around for something. Finally, with an excited smile, she pointed off to the right. "Over there, over there!"  
  
Helmswoman Muro Okawa followed Keela's finger and saw a mteallic cylinder floating in the distance. "So that's Side-7."  
  
"Yes, and it's my home settlement no less." She looked like she was ready to cry. "It's been so long."  
  
"Lee," Captain Noah Lucas called out. "Contact the spacedock and request clearance. Let's hope the hospitality of this Colony is better than the last one."  
  
The Exalon entered one of the launch tubes and took up place in a spot. The crew (including the children) walked along the ramp. All except the Twins. Tasha pulled Victor by the collar before he could step from the ship to the ramp.  
  
"Hey, what gives?"  
  
"Doctor's orders, you're not to leave this ship for a week."  
  
"AWw come on, how often do you get to step on a space colony."  
  
"Tough." And she dragged him back into the ship.  
  
"Okay," Captain Lucas told Commander Ming Xiao, Henry Kozuko, Shinji Katzuhito, Koshiro, Lee, Muro, Keela, and the children. "The trial is suppose to take place in four hours. After that, we're heading back to Earth. Until then,  
you are free to do as you wish." The crew cheered. They left the spaceport and descended into the habitat ring of Side-7.  
  
"It's just like I remember it," Keela said as they descended in a lift.  
  
"How long has it been since you've been here?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"Almost five years."  
  
"Wow, it looks just like Earth!" Sonya exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, it does," Ray agreed.  
  
The elevator stopped and the crew got off. As they walked into town, they noticed the people staring at them with awe.  
Some children even waved to them.  
  
"This is the first time we were ever welcome in a town," Lee said. "I almost forgot why I joined the Earth Federation forces in the first place... oh!" Lee ran up to a store window and stared at a pink and yellow sun dress. "It's beautiful!"  
  
"Captain, what will you be doing?" Commander Xiao asked.  
  
"Well, I know the trial is in four hours. But I'd like to get a good seat. Besides, Commander Xiao and I need to meet with the Colony Leaders."  
  
"Captain, permission to join you," Muro requested.  
  
"I'd be honored," Captain Lucas replied. The three senior officers took off.  
  
"Do you think he knows?" Shinji asked Henry as they watched the three walk off.  
  
"I don't think he realizes how serious it is," the Engineer replied. "Come on, let's find a bar somewhere."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Keela led Ray, Christopher, Benny, and Sonya down a side street.  
  
"This place is just like I remember it," Keela said more to herself than the children. "It's hard to believe that after everything that happened, it's still the same. Like it's been locked in time." Benny squeezed her hand letting the older girl know that she needed something. Keela looked down at the red head who pointed to Ray, Christopher, and Sonya staring at a statue.  
  
"Wow, it's the B-Gundam!" Ray cried. Keela and Benny went over and saw that they were staring at a ten foot marble statue of a Gundam-type Mobile Suit. It was holding a beam saber high in the air, like it was poised to strike. What made this one different from the B-Gundam (other than its size and material) was that in addition to the saber, it was also holding a large riot shield.  
  
"'This memorial is dedicated to all those on Side 7 who risked their lives to bring the Federation Mobile Suit prototype 'Gundam' to Earth. September 18th, Universal Century 0079,'" Keela read. "This was the archetype for the B-Gundam," she told the children. "It was at this very Colony that the Gundam was first constructed."  
  
"It's not as good as the B-Gundam," Christopher argued.  
  
"Yeah, I bet the pilot of it was some weird old Colony geezer," Sonya added hunching her back and walking around like she had a limp.  
  
Keela laughed. "Well, honestly, I don't know who the pilot of the archetype Gundam was, but he or she must've been very good if it was able to last for an entire year."  
  
"Hey Keela," Sonya addressed. "Would... would you show me where you once lived."  
  
"Well, it's been over five years. I don't know if the house is still there."  
  
"Let's go!"  
  
"All right. I guess it couldn't hurt to take a look around. Let's see... if I remember right, my house used to be over on the north end." Keela and the children walked down one street and then another. Keela realized that the houses had not changed in the past five years.  
  
"Here's my street," Keela announced as they hanged a left. "My house is the fifth one down on the right and..."  
Keela gasped.  
  
"Keela, what's wrong?" Ray asked. He followed Keela's gaze to a light brown two-story house. A woman with her blonde hair cut pixie-short was tending to a flower bed off to the side of the porch. "Keela, what's wrong?" Ray asked again.  
  
"It's... my mother," Keela said. Immediately, the memories came flooding back.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
(_5 years ago_)  
  
Ten year old Keela Niyoko was a very hyperactive but very lovable child. She was always helping out the neighbors with chores. In turn, they would give her coins or small trinkets. To an adult, the trinkets were insignificant, almost insulting. But to a ten year old, it was like holding the crown jewels. She loved everyone, especially her parents.  
Her father was very protective and her mother was very caring.  
  
Or so Keela thought.  
  
One day, she came home late. She had been helping Dr. Kobayashi cleaning up her clinic. In turn, Dr. Kobayashi allowed her to have dinner at her house. Dr. Kobayashi had called her parents beforehand of course and her mother agreed (too enthusiastically). Keela walked home since it wasn't far. She was worried because she didn't finish her homework before going out to help Dr. Kobayashi. She was afraid her parents would be upset at her for that.  
  
But that fear evaporated the moment she came into her house, because it was replaced by a fear that she could only imagine. Stepping into her house, she discovered her father laying on his back in a pool of blood. Her mother was backed into a corner holding a pistol that his father used back when he was a soldier. She had a shocked and despaired look on her face. She instinctively aimed the pistol at Keela but when she realized who it was, her mother lowered the pistol. Her face took on a new look: shame.  
  
For a long time, the two stared into each other. Keela was an exact mirror of her mother when she was a child so it was like looking into a mirror, or maybe a window, a window into the past, showing what she once was.  
  
Her father's body was still in her line of sight. Finally, unable to take it any more, Keela turned and ran out.  
She didn't hear her mother call out if she really did, Keela was too broken up to hear anything. Keela ran and ran until her feet gave away from her. Then she picked herself up and continued running. She didn't realize where she was running until she got there: the spaceport. There was a cargo transport shuttle that was supposed to leave for Earth. But it was running behind schedule. The cargo hadn't even been loaded onto the ship. Keela climbed into a crate and cried.  
She cried and cried until she fell asleep. And even in her sleep, she felt like she was crying.  
  
A shudder awakened her. She was moving. Actually, the crate she was in was moving. There was shuddering for a minute before it stopped. Keela peeked out. She was inside a cargo bay. The ship was quietly humming and vibrating, almost lulling Keela to sleep again. Keela looked around for an exit, but could only find crates and a ladder. Keela climbed up the ladder and stuck her head up through the hatch. Black space could be seen out the window.  
  
Keela gasped. She was in space, she was on a shuttle that was moving in space.  
  
The hatch was forcibly closed shoving Keela back down to the ground. If it wasn't for the lack of gravity, it would've seriously hurt. Keela manage to return to her crate. Once inside, she came to a decision: she wouldn't go back. She couldn't. She couldn't face her mother after what she did. And even if she did, who's to say that she wouldn't kill her for witnessing the killing of her father?'  
  
Satisfied with her decision, she curled up into a ball and fell asleep again.  
  
The crate was shaking wildly when Keela awoke next. It actually toppled over, spilling her and its contents onto the ground. Keela quickly ran up to the cabin area, not caring if anyone spotted her. Fortunately, when she poked her head up, nobody noticed her, they were all staring out the starboard side window. Keela peeked over a man's shoulder and saw several strange robots shooting other shuttles.  
  
"My God, are those Zakus?" Keela heard a woman asked.  
  
The man next to her replied, "No, they're Kampfers."  
  
"I thought those things were taken out of service years ago!"  
  
"Are they from Luna..."  
  
"No, they're from Earth!"  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
Another passenger swore making Keela winced. "One's coming this way!" Sure enough, one of the blue Mobile Suits was rapidly approaching their shuttle. The shuttle accelerated and headed towards Earth. The shuttle rocked fiercely causing Keela to get mixed up with the other passengers.  
  
"Attention all passengers, please return to your seats, we'll be entering Earth's atmosphere in 92 seconds."  
  
The passengers hurried back to their seats. Keela looked around for an empty seat but the place looked filled up.  
  
"Honey, you have to return to your seat now," a woman wearing a uniform told Keela. She looked around. "Oh dear,  
we must've overbooked again. Okay, come with me." The attendant took Keela to a back room where there were several chairs set up in a square. Other women in uniforms were strapping themselves into the chairs. The attendant strapped Keela into a seat then sat down herself.  
  
The shaking grew and grew. Keela was unintentionally bouncing around in her seat. Suddenly the entire floor bounced up. Keela's seat was uprooted and she was thrown to the other side of the room and was knocked out.  
  
--  
  
"Hey, look, I found another one!"  
  
"That makes four so far. It's a miracle!"  
  
"I'll tell you what's a miracle, the fact that they didn't crash into our village."  
  
"Hey kid, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?"  
  
Keela moaned and opened her eyes. A man was knealing by her. He called out, "Al, get a doctor over here." He looked at Keela. "What's your name?"  
  
It took Keela a few seconds to recall her name. "Keela Niyoko."  
  
"Do you know where you're from."  
  
Keela tried hard to remember, but her head only ended up bursting into pain. A doctor examined her and concluded that the crash gave her a severe concussion to the point of amnesia. There were ten people out of the fifty passengers and crew that survived and she was one of them. She was adopted by a family that lived in Modouken, the village near where the shuttle crashed. Slowly, her memory returned but by then, she had been accepted into the village and she decided to leave her past behind her.  
  
Then an AMEC army began invading Modouken. An Earth Federation platoon arrived and did battle. By the time the one week battle ended, she, along with four children, were the only survivors of Madouken.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The memories were as fresh in her mind as if they just happened. Keela felt her heart beating harder and harder as she slowly approached her mother. When she was about twenty feet away, her mother must've sensed someone coming up so she got up and turned around.  
  
And let out a loud gasp on seeing that it was her daughter.  
  
That was the only sound expressed by either of them for over a minute. In the duration of that minute, the two just stared at each other, each daring the other to set her face in an emotion. At last, Keela was the first to give in.  
Her eyes swelled up with tears and she cried out,  
  
"Mama!" She ran to her mother and was enveloped in her arms.  
  
"Keela..." her mother said. "My prayers... they came true."  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
A little while later, Keela and the children were inside Keela's childhood home. Christopher and Ray were listening to music while Sonya played with some of Keela's old toys. Keela and Benny were with Keela's mother at the kitchen table.  
  
"So... who's the father?" Keela's mother asked as she poured tea for the three of them.  
  
Keela was shocked and rather embarrassed at the question. "They... they're not mine... I mean I... didn't give birth to them. They're not related to me biologically. But... I take care of them. And... I do care about them."  
  
"It seems that you've grown up a lot on Earth," her mother commented. "Keela..." her mother cast a side-glance at Benny, who was quietly sipping her tea.  
  
"Don't worry, Mom, Benny couldn't tell anybody even if she wanted to."  
  
"Oh. Keela... I'm glad that you've returned. But... I feel like I owe you..."  
  
"Mom, you don't owe me anything," Keela interrupted.  
  
"No, I do. I've lived with the pain for the past five years. I'll never be able to rest until I explain about.  
well... what happened."  
  
Keela felt the fear that she felt when she came home five years ago. She forced herself to shake it off. She has faced down Mobile Suits, spaceships, had a town literally fall around her. She could take this.  
  
She hoped.  
  
"The truth is... your father, I discovered that he was doing something wrong." Keela reacted with shock. "It's true. The night that... the night that you left, I was answering e-mail and I discovered a strange e-mail for your father from someone named Asif. I don't know who he was, but from the e-mail logs, your father has been associating with him for a long time. They've been secretly planning something... something horrible."  
  
"What was it, Mom?"  
  
"I discovered that they were going to release something... something to destroy all Minovsky Particles."  
  
Even school children knew what Minovsky Particles were. But Keela didn't realize that they could be destroyed.  
  
"I confronted him that night. I just knew that he was doing something wrong. He ordered me to keep quiet, I said no.  
He chased me and... well... I think you can figure it out from there."  
  
"Mom, I had no idea. Did... did you... tell anyone?"  
  
"No. All I had was the e-mail and that wasn't enough proof. So I stayed quiet. But it was eating me up inside. It almost drove me to the point of suicide. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. I had just about given up hope when.  
when you appeared."  
  
Keela smiled and squeezed her mother's hand showing her that all was forgiven. Benny smiled.  
  
"Keela!" Ray called running into the room. "Sonya's gone!"  
  
"What? Where did she go?"  
  
"She went outside and two guys grabbed her!"  
  
Keela and her mother ran outside just in time to see Keela being dragged into a car. Keela squirmed and fussed and even bit. One of the guys in the car, a sleezy-looking man with slicked back hair and a goatee, slapped Sonya in the back of the head, knocking her out.  
  
"Sonya!" Keela cried. "Mom, stay with the others!"  
  
"Keela, be careful!" Keela smiled, she actually missed having her Mother worry about her. She leaped into her Mother's electric car and drove off after them.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"I can't believe they gave you that dress for half-price," Koshiro said.  
  
"I can't believe they allowed me to pay with Earth currency," Lee said clutching the rectangular box that contained the dress she was looking at.  
  
"Allowed you to pay? Hey, you used my money to pay."  
  
"Oh, relax. I'll pay you back when we get back to Earth."  
  
"And how are you going to do that?"  
  
If Lee was going to answer that question, she didn't get the chance. A white electric car came swirving around the corner and almost ran them over, If Lee hadn't thrown the two of them to the side.  
  
"Does saving your life count as repayment?" Lee joked.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Koshiro, Lee!" Keela drove up. "Quickly, hop in! It's an emergency!"  
  
"Keela, what's wrong?" Koshiro asked as they climbed in.  
  
"Sonya's been kidnapped! She was in that car up ahead!"  
  
"So the two of you are trying to get her back?" Lee asked.  
  
"Huh? Two of us?" Keela cast an eye to her left and saw Benny sitting in the front seat, her hands clutching her seat belt as Keela drove off. Keela was in such a hurry that she didn't notice the mute red-head until now. But it was too late to take her back now.  
  
"They're heading for the spaceport!" Koshiro pointed out. Keela slammed the accelerator but the white car was already raising in the same lift that deposited the crew earlier that day.  
  
"How do we get up there now?" Keela asked.  
  
"This way." Koshiro began climbing up a ladder that was built into the hull of the Colony. Keela followed and so did Benny. Lee just looked concerned at them.  
  
Koshiro, Lee, and Benny got to the spaceport hatch after ten minutes of climbing. Koshiro grabbed a maintenance worker. "Did two guys and a little girl come by here?"  
  
"Yeah," the worker replied. "They headed towards the docks.  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"I don't know." Koshiro and Keela grabbed as many people as they could. Finally, someone pointed them towards dock 49. By the time they got there, the brown shuttle with four wings was already taking off.  
  
"Too late," Keela said falling to her knees.  
  
"No it's not," Koshiro said. "Come on." Koshiro, Keela, and Benny returned to the Exalon. Koshiro spoke to Tasha vie an intercom as he changed into his flight suit. "Tash, we need to make an emergency launch of the B-Gundam."  
  
"I don't know, Koshiro," Tasha said from the bridge. "Normally, I would need the permission from either Captain Lucas or Commander Xiao to perform such an operation, plus I would need to get in touch with the spaceport control..."  
  
"Darn it, Tasha, this is an emergency! Sonya's been kidnapped!"  
  
"Well... in an emergency, the senior officer on duty can authorize a launch."  
  
"Thanks, Tasha." Koshiro arrived in the launch bay and got into the B-Gundam.  
  
"Wait!" It was Keela and Benny. They were both in spacesuits. "We're coming along."  
  
"No, Keela. If there's a battle, I can't guarantee that the two of you will be safe."  
  
"I've never stood on the sidelines of anything, Koshiro. Besides..." Keela lowered her head. "Sonya's like my daughter. And if there's one thing I hate more than anything in the world, it's seeing a mother worry about her daughter."  
  
Koshiro sighed. As much as he hated it, he empathized with her. He couldn't imagine the fear his own mother's going through.  
  
"Fine, hop in." Keela and Lee climbed behind Koshiro's seat as Koshiro activated his HIS. "B-Gundam ready for launch."  
  
"Roger. Launching B-Gundam!" The catapult opened and launch the B-Gundam. With perfect accuracy, the B-Gundam flew through the launch tube of the Colony. Once outside the Colony, it scanned the perimeter. "Nothing."  
  
"We must've already missed them," Keela said sadly.  
  
"Keela," Koshiro said calmly. "What do you know about Newtypes?"  
  
"Huh? Newtypes? Why would you want to know about Newtypes."  
  
"I"ll explain later, just tell me about Newtypes."  
  
"I don't know much about them, but what I do know is that they had incredible mental powers. They could predict stuff before they happen and understand things that no normal human could. But unfortunately, there are no more Newtypes.  
The last Newtype died out about fifty years ago. If Newtypes still existed, they're laying low, keeping their abilities a secret."  
  
Koshiro closed his eyes. {_Okay, if the G-System is the digitized brain waves of a Newtype, then it should grant me access to its abilities. G-System, help me find Sonya_.} Koshiro's helmet viser turned red. A radar screen appeared on it. It showed two glowing blips. One was in the center and the other was towards the upper right-hand corner.  
{_That's it_!} "I found her!" Before Keela could ask why, the B-Gundam blasted off towards an asteroid that was nearby.  
  
"They must be hiding in the old mining facility," Keela said once she realized where they were heading.  
  
"I see the shuttle," Koshiro announced. He pondered a way to stop the shuttle without destroying it. The vulcan guns were too unpredictable and the beam saber too powerful and he didn't come with the G-Armor or a beam rifle. It seemed like he was going to have to catch them the old fashion way.  
  
Suddenly a rocket came out of the shuttle. Koshiro quickly dodged it. "Great, I think they're onto us."  
  
"So what do we do?" Keela asked.  
  
Koshiro gasped as the G-System warned him that the rocket was turning back. "Crap, it must be heat sensitive." Koshiro fired the vulcans but the rocket actually slideslipped to avoid them. "No, not heat seeking, must be radio controlled.  
Stay strong, Benny. After all we've been through, I'm not going to let some two-bit thugs kidnapp Sonya." Nobody could hear the small but surprised gasp come from Benny's mouth.  
  
Two more rockets were fired at the B-Gundam. Koshiro quickly put up his beam shield but the rocket knocked the B-Gundam into spiraling downward. Koshiro grunted and fired the boosters and pursued the shuttle. The remaining two rockets pursued him. It was now up to speed. Fortunately, Koshiro got to the shuttle first and hung on to one of the lower wings. The shuttle actually began to drag the B-Gundam. Eventually, Koshiro couldn't hold on any longer and had to let the shuttle go.  
  
One of the rockets passed the B-Gundam and struck the shuttle.  
  
"Sonya!" To everyone's surprise, it came from Benny!  
  
"Benny, did you just talk?" Keela asked.  
  
Benny looked down at herself. "My... my voice..."  
  
"They're getting away!" Koshiro cried. A smaller shuttle detached and started to head to Earth when a large metal hand lashed out and grabbed it. It was Starlight.  
  
"What would you two do without me?" Lee joked.  
  
"Lee, how did you get out to us so fast?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"Easy, I waited for the lift to return."  
  
Lee wished she had a video link so she could see Koshiro's red face.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Benny, I'm so proud of you," Keela said. They were all back at Keela's mother's place. The authorities had already taken away the would-be kidnappers.  
  
"For such a long time, I've been wanting to talk," Benny said. "But... truthfully, I was just too scared. But thanks to Koshiro, I can."  
  
"Huh? What did I do?" Koshiro asked.  
  
"I was scared, scared of everything, so I shut myself up. But Koshiro... you made me want to talk again, you made me want to be brave too."  
  
"Wow... well I'm glad I could help."  
  
"You know," Lee threw in. "In all the time I've known you, Benny, I don't think I've ever seen you smile. It looks good on you."  
  
"Koshiro, Lee, thank you for rescuing me," Sonya said humbly.  
  
"I'm sure you would do the same for us," Koshiro said raising his glass.  
  
"Keela, I'm glad you have such reliable friends," her mother said. She looked towards Koshiro, Lee, and the children. "You all take care of Keela. You're her family now."  
  
"You can count on us," Christopher said proudly. Everyone burst into laughter.  
  
"Hey, we need to go," Lee realized. "It's almost time for Govenor Martin's trial."  
  
"Keela," her mother addressed. "Be careful, will you? And... next time you're in town..."  
  
"Don't worry, you'll be the first person I'll see. Besides... I think Sonya's a little partial to Adalie."  
Sonya cuddled the worn doll towards her.  
  
The group waved good-bye to Keela's mother and proceeded to the courthouse.  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The trial against Govenor Martin was undoubtedly one sided. With over fifty witnesses including Captain Lucas and Commander Xiao, there was no doubt of Govenor Martin's intentions. Unfortunately, the Exalon crew had to depart for Earth before the final punishment was to be delivered.  
  
Back on the Exalon, Captain Lucas came onto the bridge. "Commander, anything to report?"  
  
"No, sir, we're all ready to go," Commander Xiao reported.  
  
"Good. Twins, inform dock control that we're ready to depart."  
  
"Yes, sir," Tasha replied. Lee noticed that Victor didn't join in.  
  
"What's wrong with Victor?"  
  
"Oh, he's just upset he had to stay on the Exalon," Tasha said dismissively.  
  
Captain Lucas chuckled. "Maybe next time, Vic. All right, take off!"  
  
The Exalon left the Side 7 Colony and proceeded towards Earth.  
  
But it wouldn't be an easy one.  
  
"Captain!" Tasha cried. "Multiple bogies approaching from port side."  
  
"Activate rear monitor," Lucas ordered. A familiar pink-looking Mobile Suit along with several Hizacks.  
  
"It's that Gel-whatever that attacked Koshiro and I on the way back from Anaheim," Lee realized.  
  
"How did it survive?" Commander Xiao asked.  
  
"I don't know, but it'll soon wish it hadn't," Captain Lucas replied. "Launch B-Gundam!" The B-Gundam was sent out and began dueling with the Gelgoog.  
  
"Captain, we'll be entering Earth's atmosphere within three minutes," Victor reported. "If we don't retrieve the B-  
Gundam within the next ninety seconds, we won't be able to retrieve it at all."  
  
"Koshiro, pull back and we'll retrieve you," Lee instructed.  
  
"I would if I could," Koshiro replied. "But this guy isn't giving me the opportunity." It was true, the Gelgoog was standing in between the B-Gundam and the Exalon, and its hacking with its beam saber was driving the B-Gundam further and further away from the ship.  
  
Captain Lucas turned to Keela. "Keela, can a Gundam-class Mobile Suit survive Earth re-entry?"  
  
"As far as I know, it hasn't been tried before," Keela said. "The Colonies don't normally take chances."  
  
"Koshiro, try to hold on the best you can," Lee encouraged.  
  
{_It's time_,} Koshiro realized. {_I have to use the G-System's maximum power to defeat it_!} "Let's go! G-Mode!" The cockpit area around Koshiro began to glow. The B-Gundam attached the second beam saber to the first one and formed the double-edge blade that Captain Lucas called the Buster Saber. Holding it in both hands, the B-Gundam swung and sliced the Gelgoog's head off. Both Mobile Suits started to glow red with friction.  
  
"Raise the blast shields!" Captain Lucas ordered. Metal panels covered the windows of the bridge.  
  
Lee tried to contact Koshiro. "Koshiro! Koshiro, come in. B-Gundam, this is Exalon, come in. Koshiro!"  
  
"Forget it," Victor called. "All communication and scanners have been disrupted due to us passing through the Earth's magnetic field. We won't be able to establish anything for three minutes."  
  
"But by then Koshiro could be dead!" Muro pointed out.  
  
Captain Lucas sat in his chair. "I'm afraid, it's all up to fate now. Let's see if destiny needs Koshiro for anything more."  
  
Inside the B-Gundam, the green glow was slowly becoming red. The controls were becoming too hot to touch and the HIS had deactivated from re-entry. But actually, that wasn't what was bothering Koshiro.  
  
{_What's this I'm feeling_?} He asked. {_It feels like... de'ja vu! Like I've done this before. But that's impossible!  
I've never been outside of Earth up until now. Could this be another effect of the G-System? Am I feeling whoever the G-System was modeled after? No, that can't be_!} Koshiro began pushing buttons. {_And yet, I know exactly what to do.  
I have done this before... no I haven't, but the G-System has. Argh, this doesn't make any sense. No, Koshiro, don't lose focus. You need to work fast or else you'll burn to a crisp like one of Paiyako's hot dogs_!} Last summer, Koshiro and Paiyako's families had a cookout and Paiyako volunteered to cook the hot dogs. The ended up eating black cinders of what was once meat products.  
  
On the Exalon, Lee continued in her endeavor to contact Koshiro even though she knew she wouldn't be able to get through.  
  
"Captain, we've exited the magnetosphere and have entered the mesosphere. We should reach the stratosphere within five minutes. By then, we would have restored communication," Tasha said. For the next five minutes, the entire room was quiet.  
  
Then, with a nod from Captain Lucas, Lee began her transmission again. "Exalon to B-Gundam... B-Gundam, come in.  
B-Gundam, answer me, this is Exalon. Koshiro. Koshiro, it's Lee! Koshiro, please, say something. Please, give us some sign that you're alive."  
  
"Visual restored," Victor announced. The main monitor showed what looked like a large rock falling towards them.  
"Collision imminent!"  
  
"All hands, brace for... huh?"  
  
The rock began cracking. It shattered into tiny fragments to reveal the B-Gundam which quickly activated its flight pack. The entire crew cheered.  
  
At the same time, Koshiro's voice came over Lee's headset. "Exalon, this is the B-Gundam... glad you're all right."  
  
With tears in her eyes, Lee said, "Likewise. Stay tight, Koshiro, we're coming to pick you up."  
  
"Roger," Koshiro replied. But as the B-Gundam rejoined the Exalon, Koshiro couldn't help but wonder what really happened.  
From the battle with the Gelgoog to surviving Earth's reentry, Koshiro's felt that he did this before, but where did this sense of familiarity come from? Was it the G-System, or something... more?  
  
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
The Exalon has returned to Earth. But they are not out of trouble yet. They are attacked by the Terran Alliance in their Gun Sniper Mobile Suits. In a twist or irony, they are saved by the AMEC. When the Terran Alliance issues a challenge to both sides, the Exalon and AMEC agree to join forces and send their best Mobile Suits to battle them.  
  
Next episode: Mobile Suit Combat  
  
Welcome home, Exalon.  
  
A/N: I'm sorry, guys, this wasn't one of my best ones, I realize. I promise the next and the ones after that will be much better. 


End file.
